User interface for a dental measurement system

ABSTRACT

Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a dental measurement method comprising: measuring an orientation of a dental measurement device includes a user interface; and displaying information on said user interface based on said orientation.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure, in some embodiments thereof, relates to userinterfaces for a dental measurement system and, more particularly, butnot exclusively, to user interfaces for a dental measurement device.

SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a dental measurement control method for controlling adental measurement system which comprises measuring movement of a dentaltool, and controlling the system using measured movement of the dentalmeasurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the dental tool is adental measurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, movement comprises oneor more of translation of the dental measurement device in space andchange in orientation of the dental measurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the system comprises adisplay and controlling comprises controlling a selected portion of thedisplay based on the measured movement.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the system comprises adisplay, and controlling comprises controlling a position of a cursor onthe display based on the measured movement.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, measuring comprisesmovement with respect to at least a portion of a patient's mouth.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the system comprises adisplay, and a 3D model is displayed on the display.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, controlling comprisescontrolling an orientation of a 3D model displayed on the display basedon the measured movement.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, measuring comprisesregistering a dental measurement device coordinate space with a 3D modelcoordinate space. Controlling comprises controlling the display of the3D model using the measured movement of the dental measurement devicewithin the dental measurement device coordinate space, or measuringcomprises registering a dental measurement device coordinate space and apatient mouth portion coordinate space with a 3D model coordinate space.

In some such embodiments, the controlling comprises controlling thedisplay of the 3D model using the measured movement of the dentalmeasurement device with respect to the patient mouth portion.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, registering comprisesregistering using one or more marker.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the one or more markerincludes at least one marker within a patient's mouth.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the method comprisescomprising marking the 3D model with a position of a measured contactbetween a dental measurement device stylus and a portion of a patient'smouth.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the method comprisesdisplaying the marked 3D model.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the method comprisescollecting measurements of at least a portion of a patient's mouth usingthe dental measurement device; and generating a 3D model based on themeasurements.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the 3D model comprisesone or more of CT data, MRI data and ultrasound data.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the measuring comprisesmeasuring contact of a stylus of the dental measurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the measuring comprisesidentifying contact between the dental measurement device stylus and aportion of a patient's mouth.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the measuring comprisesmeasuring using images collected by an imager of the dental measurementdevice.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the dental measurementdevice comprises an imager and circuitry configured to generate a modelof at least a portion of a mouth from images acquired by the imager.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a dental measurement method comprising inserting atleast a portion of a dental measurement device including a final opticalelement of an imager into a patient's mouth, and collecting images withthe dental measurement device imager the images including one or moreof: a portion of the dental measurement device obscured from a user'sline of sight, and a portion of the patient's mouth obscured from auser's line of sight. Such embodiments may also include displaying theimages.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the displayingcomprises displaying the images on one or more display mounted on thedental measurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the method comprisesidentifying, portions of the images including one or more view obscuredfrom a user's line of sight; and displaying the one or more view.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, identifying comprises,identifying, from the images, a portion of the images obscured from auser's line of sight which, when displayed on the display align with auser view of patient mouth portions. Displaying comprises displaying theportion of the images.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a dental measurement system comprising an intraoralscanner (IOS) comprising an imager, and a distal portion sized andshaped for insertion into a human mouth comprising a final opticalelement of the imager, at least one display configured to display imagescollected by the imager.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the system comprisescircuitry configured to generate a model of at least a portion of amouth from images acquired by the imager.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the system comprises alight configured to illuminate at least a portion of the human mouthwith structured light.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the system comprises alight configured to illuminate at least a portion of the human mouthwith structured light; and circuitry configured to generate a model ofthe at least a portion of the human mouth from images acquired by theimager.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the dental measurementdevice includes a stylus.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the stylus is sized andshaped for insertion between a tooth and surrounding gingiva.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the display isorientated at 30-90° from a central long axis of the stylus. Accordingto some embodiments of the disclosure, the display is orientated at0-60° from a central long axis of the stylus. According to someembodiments of the disclosure, the display is mounted on the distalportion. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the display isdisposed on a top side of the dental measurement device. According tosome embodiments of the disclosure, the display is orientated at 30-90°from a central axis of a field of view of the imager. According to someembodiments of the disclosure, the display is disposed on a lateral sideof the dental measurement device. According to some embodiments of thedisclosure, the display is orientated at 0-60° from a central axis of afield of view of the imager.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the system comprisescircuitry configured to process images collected by the imager. Thedisplay is configured to display processed images.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the dental measurementdevice includes a plurality of displays. According to some embodimentsof the disclosure, the system comprises one or more sensors configuredto sense an orientation of the dental measurement device and circuitryfor selecting, based on the orientation, one or more display from theplurality of displays for display of information.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the system comprisesone or more sensors configured to sense an orientation of the dentalmeasurement device, and circuitry for orientating display of the imageson the at least one display based on the orientation.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the display is disposedon more than one lateral side of the dental measurement device,extending from a first lateral side to one or more lateral sides of theintraoral scanner. According to some embodiments of the disclosure, thedisplay is a flexible display, where the flexible display may be wrappedaround a portion of the intraoral scanner.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a dental measurement method comprising measuring anorientation a dental measurement device, and displaying information on auser interface mounted on the dental measurement device, based on theorientation.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, measuring comprisesmeasuring an orientation of a portion of the dental measurement deviceincluding the user interface.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the informationincludes:

-   -   images collected by an imager of the dental measurement device;    -   processed images collected by and imager of the dental        measurement device; and/or    -   feedback regarding measurements collected using the dental        measurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, measuring comprises:

-   -   measuring the orientation of the dental measurement device with        respect to gravity;    -   measuring with one of more gyroscope; and/or    -   measuring the orientation of the dental measurement device with        respect to a dental object.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the dental object is atooth.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the method comprisesidentifying the dental object and an orientation of the dentalmeasurement device with respect to the dental object, from imagescollected by an imager of the dental measurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the measuringcomprises:

-   -   measuring the orientation of the dental measurement device with        respect to a user;    -   measuring orientation using one of more position sensor; and/or    -   measuring orientation using images collected by one or more        imager.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the one or more imagercomprises an imager of the dental measurement device.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a dental measurement system comprising a dental toolcomprising a distal portion sized and shaped for insertion into a humanmouth circuitry configured to generate a signal based on movement of thedental measurement device, and control one or more aspect of the systembased on the signal.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the tool is a dentalmeasurement device comprising an imager and the distal portion comprisesa final optical element of the imager.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the dental measurementdevice includes at least one position sensor configured to generate thesignal.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the position sensor isan inertial measurement unit configured to produce a signal based on anorientation of the dental measurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the circuitry generatesthe signal using images collected by the imager.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the one or more aspectincludes selection of a portion of the display.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the one or more aspectincludes position of a cursor on the display.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the dental measurementdevice includes one or more user interface configured to generate asecond signal, and the circuitry is configured to control selection of aportion of the display based on the signal and the second signal.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the one or more aspectincludes orientation of display of a 3D model on the display.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a dental measurement control method for control of adental measurement system and comprises measuring a gesture performedwith a dental tool using one or more sensor to produce a measurementsignal, identifying a user command from the measurement signal,generating a control signal based on the identified user command, andmodifying function of one or more system component based on the controlsignal.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, the dental tool is adental measurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure:

-   -   the gesture comprises moving the dental measurement device,    -   the gesture comprises translating the dental measurement in        space,    -   the gesture comprises changing an orientation of the dental        measurement device,    -   the gesture comprises contacting a portion of the dental        measurement device to an object, and/or    -   the gesture comprises changing a proximity of the dental        measurement device to an object.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the object is a portionof a patient's mouth. According to some embodiments of the disclosure,the object is a second dental device,

According to some embodiments of the disclosure:

-   -   modifying comprises initiating a start to collection of        measurements with the dental measurement device;    -   modifying comprises activating a second dental device;    -   modifying comprises collecting a color measurement; and/or    -   modifying comprises collecting a snapshot image.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, a method is providedand comprises inputting a command through a user interface to produce auser interface signal, and identifying a user command from themeasurement signal and the user interface signal.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a dental measurement method comprising:

measuring an orientation of a dental measurement device comprising auser interface; and

displaying information on the user interface, based on the orientation.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring comprisesmeasuring the orientation of the dental measurement device with respectto a dental object.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring comprisesmeasuring an orientation of a portion of the dental measurement deviceincluding the user interface.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the information includesfeedback regarding measurements collected using the dental measurementdevice.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the information includesfeedback regarding measurements collected using the dental measurementdevice, and the feedback is based on the orientation of the dentalmeasurement device with respect to the dental object.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the feedback is one ormore of visual, audio, and haptic feedback.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the feedback is relatedto an angle between the dental measurement device and the dental object.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring comprises:illuminating the dental object with structured light; and collectingimages of the illuminated dental object; wherein the feedback indicateswhether the angle is above a threshold associated with distortion of thestructured light.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the dental measurementdevice includes a stylus; wherein the measuring comprises contacting thestylus to the dental object;

wherein the feedback is related to one or more of: an angle of thestylus with respect to the dental object; and a force of contact of thestylus with the dental object.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure wherein the dentalmeasurement device includes a stylus; wherein the measuring comprisesmeasuring deflection of the stylus; wherein the feedback is related tothe deflection of the stylus.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the dental object is atleast a portion of a tooth.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring comprisesidentifying, from images collected by an imager of the dentalmeasurement device, one or more of: the dental object; and anorientation of the dental measurement device with respect to the dentalobject.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring comprisesmeasuring the orientation of the dental measurement device with respectto gravity.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring comprisesmeasuring orientation using images collected by one or more imager.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring comprisesmeasuring the orientation of the dental measurement device with respectto a position of a user and with respect to the dental measurementdevice.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring comprisesidentifying the position of the user with respect to the dentalmeasurement device, from images collected by an imager of the dentalmeasurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the dental measurementdevice includes a plurality of user interfaces; the method comprisingselecting one or more user interface from the plurality of userinterfaces, based on the orientation.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring comprises:inserting at least a portion of the dental measurement device, whichportion including a final optical element of an imager into a patient'smouth; collecting an image with the dental measurement device imager theimage including one or more of: a portion of the dental measurementdevice obscured from a user's line of sight; and a portion of thepatient's mouth obscured from a user's line of sight; and displaying theimage.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the method comprisesidentifying one or more portion of the image including one or more viewobscured from a user's line of sight, and displaying the one or moreview.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the displaying comprisesdisplaying the image on one or more display of the dental measurementdevice.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the method comprisesidentifying, from the image, a portion of the image obscured from auser's line of sight which, when displayed on the display aligns with auser view of patient mouth portions, and displaying comprises displayingthe portion of the image.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure said identifyingcomprises identifying said user's line of sight, using one or more imageof said user captured using one or more imager of said dentalmeasurement device.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a dental measurement system comprising:

-   an intraoral scanner (IOS) comprising:-   an imager;-   a distal portion sized and shaped for insertion into a human mouth    comprising a final optical element of the imager; and-   at least one display configured to display images collected by the    imager.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the display is disposedon the distal portion.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the system comprises oneor more sensor configured to sense an orientation of said dentalmeasurement device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the system comprisescircuitry for orientating display of the images on the at least onedisplay, based on the orientation.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the dental measurementdevice includes a plurality of displays; the system comprising circuitryfor selecting, based on the orientation, one or more display from theplurality of displays for display of the images.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the dental measurementdevice includes a stylus.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the system comprisescircuitry configured to process images collected by the imager, whereinthe at least one display is configured to display processed images.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the at least one displayis disposed on more than one lateral side of the dental measurementdevice, extending from a first lateral side to one or more lateral sidesof the intraoral scanner.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the at least one displayis a flexible display.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the flexible display iswrapped around a portion of the intraoral scanner.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the system comprisescircuitry for selecting, based on the orientation, one or more portionof the display for display of the images.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a method of control of a dental measurement systemcomprising: measuring one or more of: movement of a stylus of a dentalmeasurement device; and contact between the stylus and an object;controlling the system using the measuring.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring themovement of the stylus comprises measuring movement with respect to oneor more of: a portion of a patient's mouth; a portion of a user's body;and a dental tool.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the movement of thestylus comprises one or more of translation of the stylus in space andchange in orientation of the stylus.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the measuring comprisesmeasuring using images collected by one or more imager of the dentalmeasurement device.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a dental measurement control method for control of adental measurement system which comprises: measuring a gesture performedwith a dental measurement device using one or more sensor to produce ameasurement signal; identifying a user command from the measurementsignal; generating a control signal based on the identified usercommand; and modifying function of one or more component of the dentalmeasurement device based on the control signal.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the gesture comprisesone or more of: moving the dental measurement device; translating thedental measurement device in space; changing an orientation of thedental measurement device with respect to an object; contacting aportion of the dental measurement device to an object; and changing aproximity of the dental measurement device to an object.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the object is a portionof a patient's mouth.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the object is a seconddental device.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the modifying comprisesinitiating a start to collection of measurements with the dentalmeasurement device. According to some embodiments of the disclosure themodifying comprises modifying function of a second dental device.According to some embodiments of the disclosure the modifying comprisescollecting a color measurement. According to some embodiments of thedisclosure the modifying comprises collecting a snapshot image.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present disclosurethere is provided a method of control of a dental measurement systemcomprising:

receiving a 3D model of at least a portion of a patient's mouth;

registering dental measurement device coordinate space and a patientmouth portion coordinate space with a 3D model coordinate space of the3D model;

measuring movement of the dental measurement device with respect to thepatient mouth portion;

controlling a display of the 3D model using the measured movement of thedental measurement device with respect to the patient mouth portion.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the registeringcomprises registering using one or more marker. According to someembodiments of the disclosure the one or more marker includes at leastone marker within a patient's mouth.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the method comprisesmarking the 3D model with a position of measured contact between adental measurement device stylus and a portion of a patient's mouth.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the method displayingthe marked 3D model.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the receiving comprises:collecting measurements of at least a portion of a patient's mouth usingthe dental measurement device; and generating the 3D model based on themeasurements.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the dental measurementdevice comprises at least one imager; wherein the receiving comprisesand comprises generating the 3D model a mouth from images acquired bythe at least one imager.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure the receiving comprisesreceiving a 3D model including one or more of CT data, MRI data andultrasound data.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and/or scientific terms usedherein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art to which the disclosure pertains. Although methods andmaterials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used inthe practice or testing of embodiments of the disclosure, exemplarymethods and/or materials are described below. In case of conflict, thepatent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition,the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are notintended to be necessarily limiting.

Implementation of the method and/or system of embodiments of thedisclosure can involve performing or completing selected tasks manually,automatically, or a combination thereof. Moreover, according to actualinstrumentation and equipment of embodiments of the method and/or systemof the disclosure, several selected tasks could be implemented byhardware, by software or by firmware or by a combination thereof usingan operating system.

For example, hardware for performing selected tasks according toembodiments of the disclosure could be implemented as a chip or acircuit. As software, selected tasks according to embodiments of thedisclosure could be implemented as a plurality of software instructionsbeing executed by a computer using any suitable operating system. In anexemplary embodiment of the disclosure, one or more tasks according toexemplary embodiments of method and/or system as described herein areperformed by a data processor, such as a computing platform forexecuting a plurality of instructions. Optionally, the data processorincludes a volatile memory for storing instructions and/or data and/or anon-volatile storage, for example, a magnetic hard-disk and/or removablemedia, for storing instructions and/or data. Optionally, a networkconnection is provided as well. A display and/or a user input devicesuch as a keyboard or mouse are optionally provided as well.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentdisclosure may be embodied as a system, method or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure may take theform of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.”Furthermore, some embodiments of the present disclosure may take theform of a computer program product embodied in one or more computerreadable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodiedthereon. Implementation of the method and/or system of some embodimentsof the disclosure can involve performing and/or completing selectedtasks manually, automatically, or a combination thereof. Moreover,according to actual instrumentation and equipment of some embodiments ofmethods, systems, and/or computer program products of the presentdisclosure, several selected tasks could be implemented by hardware, bysoftware or by firmware and/or by a combination thereof, e.g., using anoperating system.

For example, hardware for performing selected tasks according to someembodiments of the present disclosure could be implemented as a chip ora circuit. As software, selected tasks according to some embodiments ofthe present disclosure could be implemented as a plurality of softwareinstructions being executed by a computer using any suitable operatingsystem. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more tasks according to someexemplary embodiments of method and/or system as described herein areperformed by a data processor, such as a computing platform forexecuting a plurality of instructions. Optionally, the data processorincludes a volatile memory for storing instructions and/or data and/or anon-volatile storage, for example, a magnetic hard-disk and/or removablemedia, for storing instructions and/or data. Optionally, a networkconnection is provided as well. A display and/or a user input devicesuch as a keyboard or mouse are optionally provided as well.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized for some embodiments. The computer readable medium may be acomputer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. Acomputer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limitedto, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, orsemiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combinationof the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of thecomputer readable storage medium would include the following: anelectrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computerdiskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory(ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flashmemory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory(CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document,a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that cancontain, or store a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium and/or data usedthereby may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including butnot limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or anysuitable combination of the foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for some embodimentsof the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one ormore programming languages, including an object oriented programminglanguage such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventionalprocedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming languageor similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirelyon the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

Some embodiments of the present disclosure may be described below withreference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods,apparatus (systems) and computer program products. It will be understoodthat each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams,and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or blockdiagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. Thesecomputer program instructions may be provided to a processor of ageneral purpose computer, special purpose computer, or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such thatthe instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer orother programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer,other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to causea series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, otherprogrammable apparatus or other devices to produce a computerimplemented process such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the disclosure are herein described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specificreference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that theparticulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrativediscussion of embodiments of the disclosure. In this regard, thedescription taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled inthe art how embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic of an exemplary dental measurementsystem according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic of an exemplary system, according tosome embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic of exemplary positions of a dentalmeasurement device during measurement of a dental feature within a jaw,according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method of collecting dental measurements,according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram of a dental measurement system,including a dental measurement device, that displays information to auser, according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart for a method of display of information, for adental measurement device, according to some embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method of feedback display, according tosome embodiments of the disclosure;

FIGS. 8A-D are simplified schematics of a dental measurement deviceincluding a feedback display as the dental measurement device is scannedaround a dental object, according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 8E is a simplified schematic of a dental measurement deviceincluding a feedback display measuring a dental object, according tosome embodiments of the disclosure;

FIGS. 9A-B are a simplified schematic of a dental measurement deviceincluding a feedback display measuring a dental object, according tosome embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart for a method of selecting a user interface, fora dental measurement device, according to some embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 11A is a simplified schematic of a distal portion of a dentalmeasurement device measuring a dental object, according to someembodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 11B is a simplified schematic of a distal portion of a dentalmeasurement device measuring a dental object, according to someembodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 12A is a flow chart of a method of display of an obstructed portionof a patient mouth, according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 12B is a flow chart of a method of display of obstructed views ofthe mouth, according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 13A is a simplified schematic of a dental measurement devicedisplaying an image of an obscured portion of a patient's mouth,according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 13B is a simplified schematic of an image collected by a dentalmeasurement device, according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 13C is a simplified schematic of an obscured portion of the imageof FIG. 13A, according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a simplified schematic of a dental measurement deviceincluding a display of an obscured mouth portion, according to someembodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 15A is a simplified schematic of an exemplary dental measurementdevice, according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 15B is a simplified schematic of a distal portion of the exemplarydental measurement device of FIG. 15A, according to some embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 15C is a simplified schematic section of a distal portion of anexemplary dental measurement device, according to some embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 15D is a simplified schematic side view of a stylus of a dentalmeasurement device, according to some embodiments, of the disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a flow chart of a method of control of a dental measurementsystem, according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 17 is a simplified block diagram of a control infrastructure for adental measurement system, according to some embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 18 is a flow chart of a method of display control, according tosome embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 19 is a flow chart of a method of adding data to a model of atleast a portion of a mouth, using a dental measurement device, accordingto some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 20 is a simplified schematic of marking of a tooth model, accordingto some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 21 is a flow chart of a method of display, according to someembodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 22 is a simplified schematic of an exemplary dental measurementdevice, according to some embodiments of the disclosure; and

FIG. 23 is a flow chart of a method of audio feedback, according to someembodiments of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure, in some embodiments thereof, relates to userinterfaces for a dental measurement system and, more particularly, butnot exclusively, to user interfaces for a dental measurement device.

A broad aspect of some embodiments of the disclosure relates todisplaying information on or by a dental measurement device, where theinformation aids collection of dental measurements with the dentalmeasurement device.

An aspect of some embodiments of the disclosure relates to a dentalmeasurement device including an imager configured to collect dentalmeasurements and at least one user interface (e.g. visual user interfacee.g. display) forming part of and/or mounted on the dental measurementdevice (e.g. mounted on a body of the dental measurement device). Insome embodiments, the dental measurement device includes one or moreaudio and/or haptic user interface. In some embodiments, the dentalmeasurement device is part of a dental measurement system, the system,in some embodiments including circuitry configured to generate a modelof a mouth portion using measurement data collected by the imager. Insome embodiments, one or more dental measurement device display islocated on a portion of the dental measurement device sized and/orshaped for insertion into a patient's mouth. In some embodiments, thedental measurement device is an intraoral scanner (IOS). In someembodiments, display/s on the dental measurement device display images(optionally processed images) collected by the imager.

A potential advantage of display of information on the dentalmeasurement device is user ability to view the dental measurement deviceand/or patient's mouth and the displayed information in a same region ofspace and/or without turning of the user's head, for example,potentially enabling the user to collect measurement data while viewingthe information.

In some embodiments, the dental measurement device includes an elongateelement (e.g. a stylus) sized and/or shaped to be insertedsub-gingivally (e.g. between a tooth surface and gingiva, e.g. withoutdamaging the gingiva). In some embodiments, display includes informationas to position of the stylus (e.g. image/s including at least a portionof the stylus, for example, the display potentially enabling a user toaccurately control position of the stylus (e.g. with respect to a toothand/or surrounding tissue). In some embodiments, at least a portion ofthe stylus is within a field of view (FOV) of the imager.

A broad aspect of some embodiments of the disclosure relates to displayof information on a dental measurement device where user interface/s(e.g. display/s) and/or information displayed is responsive to anorientation of the dental measurement device. In some embodiments, anorientation of the dental measurement device changes as measurements arecollected. For example, as the measurement device scans (e.g. is scannedaround) a dental object (e.g. tooth) being measured.

In some embodiments, an orientation of information displayed is based ona measured orientation of the dental measurement device.

In some embodiments, an orientation of information displayed is based ona measured orientation of the dental measurement device with respect toa user's line of sight.

In some embodiments, a user's line of sight is estimated from imagescollected using one or more camera on the dental measurement deviceand/or external to the measurement device (e.g. on a system displayand/or mounted in a dental clinic room). In some embodiments, userfacial feature/s (e.g. eye position) are extracted from collected imagesto provide an estimation of user line of sight.

In some embodiments, one or more user interface (e.g. display e.g.speaker e.g. haptic feedback actuator) is activated and/or deactivatedand/or selected based on an orientation of the dental measurement devicee.g. with respect to a user's line of sight. For example, in someembodiments, when a top surface of the measurement device is in a lineof sight of a user a display on the top surface is selected and/oractivated. In some embodiments, if the measurement device is reorientedsuch that a side surface of the measurement device is in a line of sightof a user and/or the top surface is obscured, a display on the sidesurface is selected and/or activated.

In some embodiments, e.g. when a display is partially visible to a user,display of information on a user interface depends on a visible portionof the display. For example, in some embodiments, images displayed areprocessed (e.g. cropped and/or sized) before display on the partiallyvisible display.

An aspect of some embodiments of the disclosure relates to displayinginformation regarding measurement of a dental object is (e.g. on thedental measurement device), where the displayed feedback informationmaintains an orientation with respect to the dental object. For example,where orientation of the feedback is maintained when an orientation ofthe dental measurement device is changed, e.g. during collection ofmeasurements.

In some embodiments, displayed information (displayed visually and/oraudibly and/or haptically) includes feedback as to whether enoughmeasurement data has been collected, e.g. for region/s of the dentalobject, e.g. enough measurement data for construction of a prosthetic.In some embodiments, feedback provides information as to an anglebetween a dental measurement device stylus and a surface of a dentalobject (e.g. a side wall of a tooth) which is being measured.

An aspect of some embodiments of the disclosure relates to display ofimages of obscured views. For example, where a portion of the patient'smouth being measured and/or a portion of the dental measurement deviceis obscured by one or more of the dental device itself, mouth portion/s,other dental devices (e.g. within the mouth) and portion/s of the user(e.g. a user hand). In some embodiments, images collected by the dentalmeasurement device, e.g. of obscured view/s, are displayed to a user. Insome embodiments, images collected are processed to identify obscuredviews from collected images which are then displayed. In someembodiments, spatial position of user eyes and/or the dental measurementdevice and/or the mouth portion/s being measured are used to identifyobscured views. For example, in some embodiments, position of the dentalmeasurement device and/or user eye/s are located within a coordinatesystem of a 3D model of a mouth portion (e.g. generated frommeasurements collected by the dental measurement device), e.g. usingcollected images and/or known and/or estimated dimensions.

In some embodiments, an obscured portion of a patient's mouth isdisplayed, where, for example, the portion is obscured by themeasurement device. In some embodiments, display of the obscured portionis on a dental measurement device display. In some embodiments, image/sdisplayed on the measurement device are aligned with visible mouthportions. Where, for example, image/s collected by the dentalmeasurement device are processed before display so that the displayedimages align with visible mouth portions. For example, in someembodiments, identified location/s of the dental measurement device withrespect to the user's line of sight and/or the mouth portion beingmeasured are used to display an image of the mouth portion on a displayat a same location in the user field of view as the mouth portion wouldappear if the dental measurement device was not blocking the line ofsight to the mouth portion.

A broad aspect of some embodiments of the disclosure relates tocontrolling a dental system including a dental measurement device, usingthe dental measurement device. For example, in some embodiments, asystem includes a dental measurement device and a user interface. Forexample, in some embodiments, movement and/or position and/ororientation of the dental measurement device (which, in someembodiments, is an IOS) controls one or more aspect of operation of adental measurement system. In some embodiments, the dental measurementdevice includes a stylus and measured movement and/or position and/ororientation of the stylus controls one or more aspect of operation of adental measurement system.

A potential advantage being preservation of sterility, for example,compared with controlling system aspect/s using a non-sterile user inputdevice (e.g. non-sterile mouse, screen, control console). A furtherpotential advantage is ease of control of the system, where a userholding the dental measurement device for collection of measurements isalso able to control system aspect/s using the dental measurement device(e.g. the user does not need to pick up another device and/or put downthe dental measurement device).

In some embodiments, measured movement and/or orientation and/orposition of the dental measurement device (e.g. of the stylus) controlsa display. In an exemplary embodiment, measured orientation of a dentalmeasurement device provides a control signal, where, orientation is, forexample, measured by an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

In some embodiments, the measurements control selection of a portion ofa display and/or a location of a cursor on a display.

In some embodiments, the dental measurement device includes one or moreuser interface, for example, one or more button and/or rotation wheel.Where, in some embodiments, user interface/s are used to select a cursorlocation and/or confirm a selected display portion and/or where arotation wheel is used to scroll information on a display.

In some embodiments, movement and/or orientation and/or position of thedental measurement device (e.g. the stylus) controls orientation of adisplayed 3D model e.g. a model of a patient mouth portion.

In some embodiments, real space position of the measurement deviceand/or mouth portion/s are aligned with the model. Then, for example, insome embodiments, movement of the measurement device (e.g. stylus) withrespect to the user's mouth is used to control orientation of display ofthe model and/or is used to add information to the model.

For example, in some embodiments, a user selects (e.g. zooms in on) aportion of the displayed model by pointing the stylus at and/or movingthe stylus towards a corresponding portion of the patient's mouth(and/or of a physical model of the patient's mouth e.g. dentalimpression and/or cast).

For example, in some embodiments, a stylus of the measurement device iscontacted to mouth portions to add information to a mouth model (e.g.marking the mouth model e.g. marking a finish line of a prepared tooth).In some embodiments, the model is generated based on previouslycollected measurements with the dental measurement device.Alternatively, or additionally, in some embodiments, the model isgenerated using CT and/or MRI and/or ultrasound data.

An aspect of some embodiments of the disclosure relates to a usercontrolling a dental measurement system including a dental measurementdevice by performing gesture/s with the dental measurement device. Insome embodiments, the system recognizes gestures of different types.

For example, contact gestures, including contacting a portion (e.g. asstylus) of the dental measurement device to another object.

For example, movement and/or orientation gestures, of the dentalmeasurement device e.g. of the stylus of the measurement device, e.g.with respect to another object, for example, a dental object (e.g.tooth) and/or a dental tool and/or a portion of a user.

For example, vocal commands.

For example, user body movement gestures, for example, facial movement/se.g. eye movement/s, blinking, mouth movements (e.g. open, close,smile). For example user arm and/or hand movements. Where the user bodymovements are, in some embodiments, measured using images which, in someembodiments, include images collected by one or more imager of thedental measurement device. In some embodiments, user body movementgestures are measured with respect to the dental measurement deviceand/or another object. For example, in some embodiments, a user looks ata portion of the dental measurement device to modify the function of theportion (e.g. to select and/or activate, and/or modify function of theportion).

In some embodiments, a user looks at a dental object and/or a portion ofa patient's mouth to control the dental measurement device, for example,to direct one or more function of the dental measurement device towardsthe object and/or portion. For example, in some embodiments, a userlooks at a portion of a patient's mouth to one or more of; illuminatethe portion with one or more light projector of the dental measurementdevice, initiate and/or direct measurements towards the portion, selectone or more user interface, based on an estimated line of sight of theuser with respect to the portion. In some embodiments, the line of sightof the user with respect to the portion of a patient's mouth isestimated using sensor data, for example, images collected by one ormore imager e.g. one or more imager of the dental measurement device. Insome embodiments, estimated user line of sight is used to control one ormore additional dental tool.

In some embodiments, a control gesture includes more than one type ofinput gesture, for example, a control gesture including both contact andmovement.

In some embodiments, gestures are identified by the system (e.g. by aprocessor receiving signal/s from sensor/s) the gesture/s thencontrolling aspects of the system. For example, one or more of, a startand stop to measurements, a mode of operation of the system. Whereexemplary modes of operation include, for example, a display mode wherethe device is used to control a display, a measurement mode where thedevice collects dental measurements, a color measurement mode where thedevice collects color measurement/s, a snapshot mode where a still imageis collected and/or displayed by the dental measurement device (e.g.upon a gesture and/or user input at a user interface). For example, inan exemplary embodiment, a user taps a tooth portion with the stylus toinitiate a start to measurements with the dental measurement device.

In portion/s of this document the terms “dental measurement device”,“measurement device” and “device” are interchangeably used.

In some embodiments the dental measurement device is:

-   -   an intraoral camera;    -   an intraoral camera including an IMU;    -   an intraoral camera including a stylus;    -   a dental microscope; and/or    -   a dental microscope, where a dental measurement device display        is viewed through a microscope eyepiece.

In some embodiments, the described user interface is used not only fordental measurement devices, but also for broad range of dental tools.For example, in some embodiments, the tool is a dental drill wheredescribed user interface features are used to control parameters such asdrill speed, turning on and/or off a water stream, flow rate, drillsound level and/or tone. Exemplary tools include suction device, dentallaser, airotor, dental ultraviolet and/or other light source (e.g. forcuring).

In some embodiments, a dental measurement device displays (e.g. on aportion of the device sized and/or shaped for insertion into a mouth)one or more color.

In some embodiments, a comparison is made (e.g. by a user) between thedisplayed color with colors of tissue within a patient's mouth. In someembodiments, e.g. after performing the comparison, a user selects one ormore color, e.g. based on the comparison. For example, in someembodiments, a user selects a color for a dental prosthetic by comparingcolor/s displayed on the dental measurement device with color/s of atooth or teeth in the patent's mouth. In some embodiments, the color/sdisplayed on the dental measurement device are displayed by anelectronic display (e.g. screen). Alternatively or additionally, in someembodiments, the dental measurement device includes one or more coloredportion of an outer surface of the dental measurement device.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the disclosure in detail,it is to be understood that the disclosure is not necessarily limited inits application to the details of construction and the arrangement ofthe components and/or methods set forth in the following descriptionand/or illustrated in the drawings and/or the Examples. The disclosureis capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out invarious ways.

Exemplary System According to Some Embodiments

FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic of an exemplary dental measurementsystem 100, according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

In some embodiments, system 100 includes a dental measurement device102. In some embodiments, system 100 includes one or more display, forexample, a display 118 located on dental measurement device 102 and/or adisplay 124 external to the dental measurement device.

Optionally, in some embodiments, dental measurement device includes astylus 116 which, in some embodiments, extends outwards from a body ofthe dental measurement device.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device 102 includes an imagerwhich is e.g. configured to collect images of portions of a patient'smouth and/or of stylus 116. In some embodiments, the imager includes oneor more camera 106, which, in some embodiments, is configured to collectimages of dental object/s in proximity to the dental measurement device.In some embodiments, the imager includes a final optical element 108. Insome embodiments, final optical element 108 is located in a distal endof dental measurement device 102 and/or a portion of dental measurementdevice sized and/or shaped for insertion into a human mouth. In someembodiments, final optical element 108 is a mirror configured to reflectimages to camera 106.

In some embodiments, system 100 includes one or more sensor 120. In someembodiments, sensor/s 120 includes one or more position and/ororientation and/or proximity sensor (e.g. gyroscope and/or accelerometerand or electromagnetic sensor) and/or one or more contact sensor (e.g.strain gauge) and/or one or more sound sensor (e.g. microphone). In someembodiments, sensor/s 120 include one or more inertial measurement unit(IMU) which includes, for example, one or more accelerometer and/orgyroscope and/or magnetometer.

In some embodiments, system 100 includes one or more processor 111. Insome embodiments, dental measurement device 102 includes a processor110.

In some embodiments, one or more of processors 110, 111 are configuredto receive images collected by camera 106 and to generate a 3D model(e.g. of at least a portion of a patient's mouth) from the collectedimages.

FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic of an exemplary system 200, accordingto some embodiments of the disclosure.

In some embodiments, system 200, includes one or more dental measurementdevice 202.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device 202 is an intraoralscanner (IOS) including one or more optical sensor 206 (e.g. one or morecamera) with a field of view (FOV) 234. In some embodiments, opticalsensor 206 receives images reflected towards the sensor by a mirror 208.

For example, in some embodiments, an IOS projects structured light ontoa portion of the mouth to be measured (where structured light is, forexample, light with a pattern, where the pattern is known). In someembodiments, the IOS collects visual images of the mouth portionilluminated with the structured light, extracts a pattern of thestructured light incident on the mouth portion, and infers 3Dinformation regarding topography of the mouth portion from deformationof the pattern of the structured light incident on the mouth portion ascompared with the structure of the projected light.

For example, in some embodiments, an IOS (alternatively or additionallyto using structured light) includes more than one camera where thecameras are orientated on the IOS such that the cameras have differentviews of the mouth portion. In some embodiments, 3D informationregarding topography of the mouth portion is inferred by comparing thedifferent views of the mouth portion collected by the cameras.

For example, in some embodiments, an IOS (alternatively or additionallyto using structured light and/or different camera views) collects 3Dmeasurements using confocal techniques where, for example, camera/s ofthe IOS collect images of a mouth portion at different distances fromthe mouth portion (e.g. by focusing the camera/s at different focaldistances) and 3D information regarding topography of the mouth portionis inferred from the collected images.

In some embodiments, e.g. for one or more of the IOS data collectiontechniques described above, inferred 3D information is used to generatea 3D model of the mouth portion. In some embodiments, the model includesa 3D surface of the mouth portion. In some embodiments, the 3Dinformation includes discrete data points.

In some embodiments, an IOS is moved around inside a patient's mouth tocollect measurements of different portions of the mouth. In someembodiments, the measurement data, from different portions of the mouthis combined to create a single 3D model (which, for example, includes a3D surface) of at least a portion of the mouth.

In some embodiments, system 200 includes a control console 204. In someembodiments, dental device 200 is connected to control console 204 by anelectrical power and/or data connection 212. Alternatively, oradditionally, in some embodiments, a data connection between controlconsole 204 and measurement device 202 is wireless.

Optionally, in some embodiments, dental measurement device 202 includesa stylus 216. In some embodiments, stylus 216 is sized and/or shaped forinsertion between a tooth and surrounding gingiva, for example, withoutdamaging the gingiva. In some embodiments, optical images collected bysensor 206 include images of at least a portion of stylus 216. In someembodiments, stylus 216 extends away from a body 236 of dentalmeasurement device 202. In some embodiments, stylus 216 extends into FOV234 of optical sensor 206.

In some embodiments, a processor (e.g. within measurement device 202and/or a control console processor 214) uses optical data collected bysensor 206 to generate a model of a portion of a mouth 210 beingmeasured, for example, as described in US Patent No. US9454846, which isherein incorporated in its entirety by reference.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device 202 includes one or moreuser interface: In some embodiments, dental measurement device 202includes one or more visual display 218, for example, a LCD display, atouch and/or flexible screen, a display including one or more light(e.g. LED, OLED). In some embodiments, dental measurement device 202includes one or more button and/or switch 220. In some embodiments,dental measurement device 202 includes one or more speaker 222 and/ormicrophone.

In some embodiments, a dental device (e.g. a dental measurement device,a dental tool) includes a flexible display, e.g. a flexible displayscreen. In some embodiments, the flexible display is mounted on anon-planar topography of the dental device. For example, in someembodiments, a flexible display is wrapped around a portion of thedental device, e.g. covering more than one side of the device. Forexample, in some embodiments, a flexible display is mounted on at leasta portion of the dental device (e.g. of a housing of the dentalmeasurement device) which includes a convex and/or concave portionand/or a protrusion and/or indentation.

Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, control console 204includes one or more user interface. For example, one or more visualdisplay 224 (e.g. LCD display, touch screen, light). In someembodiments, control console includes one or more button or switch 227and/or one or more speaker 229 and/or microphone. Optionally, in someembodiments, control console 200 includes a connection for one or moreadditional input device, for example, a mouse, a keyboard (notillustrated).

In some embodiments, one or more of dental measurement device 202 andcontrol console 204 include a processor and/or memory and/or areconnected to an external processor and/or memory. For example, in someembodiments, the system accesses externally collected data, for example,data collected by another measurement system e.g. x-ray and/or CT and/orMRI and/or ultrasound measurement data. For example, in someembodiments, the system transmits data externally, for example,measurement data is sent for manufacture of a prosthetic.

In some embodiments, control console 204 displays (e.g. on display 224)one or more of, a model of a portion of a mouth 226, one or more image228 (e.g. collected by optical sensor 206), a control menu 230.

In some embodiments, control menu 230 is configured to receive usercontrol instructions regarding operation of the dental measurementdevice and/or control console (e.g. what is displayed by the controlconsole). In some embodiments, display 224 is a touch screen and item/son control menu 230 are selected by a user touching the screen.Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, a user controls aselection from control menu 230 with an input device e.g. using one ormore of button/s 227, a mouse, a keyboard, movement and/or orientationand/or position of dental measurement device 202.

In some embodiments, visible in image 228 are patient mouth portion/s232 and/or stylus 216 of the dental measurement device. In someembodiments, image 228 includes images collected by optical sensor 206e.g. real time video of collected optical images. In some embodiments,image 228 displays collected optical data augmented with (e.g. overlaidby) additional information e.g. feedback regarding quality of dataand/or marking added by a user (e.g. as described regarding FIG. 19 andFIG. 20 herein below).

In some embodiments, system 200 lacks a control console and/or displaywhich is external to dental measurement device 202, for example, dentalmeasurement device 202 including user interfaces for control of thedevice and display of information to a user.

In some embodiments, system 200 includes one or more camera configuredto collect images of a user, for example, of a user's face and/or eye/s(e.g. for estimation of a user's line of sight). In some embodiments,the camera is located on the dental measurement device 223.Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the camera islocated on another portion of the system and/or within a room in whichthe system is located, e.g. camera 225 located on display 224. Where,for example, in some embodiments, images collected by the camera includethe dental measurement device and the user (e.g. for estimation of userline of sight with respect to the dental measurement device). In someembodiments, the camera is a 3D camera.

Exemplary Collection of Dental Measurements According to SomeEmbodiments

FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic of exemplary positions of a dentalmeasurement device during measurement of a dental feature 300 within ajaw 304, according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

In some embodiments, dental feature 300 is a tooth, for example, a toothprepared for attachment thereto of a dental prosthetic (e.g. crown,bridge). In some embodiments, a dental feature 300 is measured by movinga dental measurement device around the dental feature, movement of thedevice as, for example, illustrated by sequence of position of dentaldevice from 302 a to 302 b to 300 c. In some embodiments, dental device302 a-c includes a stylus 316 a-c and measurement includes contactingthe stylus to the tooth surface to be measured. In some embodiments, thedental feature is scanned along a path 306 around the tooth where thestylus contacts sub-gingival portions of the tooth along path 306.

In some embodiments, (e.g. as the stylus is moved around the tooth) thestylus is scanned in a coronal apical direction covering sub-gingivaland/or supragingival portions of the tooth. In some embodiments, coronalapical movements are automatically actuated (e.g. by one or moreactuator) while, for example movement of the dental device body ismanually guided by a user grasping the device. Alternatively, bothmovements are performed manually by a user.

In some embodiments, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the dentalmeasurement device is tilted (e.g. by rotating the device about acentral long axis 354 of the device) during measurements. Tilting, forexample, potentially improves visibility of the stylus and/or accessingof the tooth surface (e.g. sub-gingival surface) with the stylus. Forexample, as illustrated in difference in visibility of stylus 316 c and316 a where the device is tilted to the view of device 302 b wherestylus 316 b is completely obscured from view by the body of the dentaldevice 302 b.

In some embodiments, the dental measurement device is used to measuredistances within a patient's mouth. For example, in some embodiments, ina caliper operation mode, a user contacts a stylus to two differentmouth portions and a distance between the portions is estimated usingcollected images and/or a 3D model of a mouth portion and/or positionsensor data. For example, to measure two sides of a tooth and/or animplant and/or distance between two implants and/or teeth. In someembodiments, measured distance is a straight line distance between thetwo points. In some embodiments, the measured distance is a distancebetween the two points along a tooth contour, which is, for example,estimated using a tooth surface of a 3D model. In some embodiments, thesystem is put into caliper operation mode by one or more of a userselection at a display, a user performing a gesture, a user entering aninstruction using a user interface.

Exemplary Method of Dental Measurement According to Some Embodiments

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method of collecting dental measurements,according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

In an exemplary embodiment, dental measurements are collected of one ormore prepared tooth, the measurements, for example, in some embodiments,being used in construction of a dental prosthesis e.g. crown, bridge.

At 400, in some embodiments, dental measurements using a dentalmeasurement device (e.g. 202 FIG. 2, 1502 FIG. 15A) are initiated.

In some embodiments, measurements are initiated by a user inputting intothe system one or more user control input.

For example, in some embodiments, a start to collection of measurementsis initiated using a user interface on a control console (e.g. 230and/or 227 and/or touch screen 224) and/or using an interface on thedental measurement device (e.g. 218 and/or 220, FIG. 2).

Additionally, or alternatively, in some embodiments, a user initiates astart to collection of measurements by selecting an option at a display(e.g. selecting an option of menu 230) by movement and/or orientationand/or position of dental measurement device 202.

Additionally, or alternatively, in some embodiments, a user initiates astart to collection of measurements by performing one or more gesturewith the dental measurement device.

For example, in some embodiments, the user performs a contact gesture,for example by tapping and/or contacting a portion of the dentalmeasurement device to a mouth portion (e.g. a tooth surface).

In some embodiments, a gesture which initiates a start to collection ofmeasurements is a detected level of contact (e.g. above a thresholdpressure) between a stylus of the measurement device and mouth (e.g.tooth) surface

Additionally, or alternatively, a contact gesture and/or a movementgesture (e.g. as described elsewhere in the document, e.g. withreference to FIG. 17) initiate a start to collection of measurements.

In some embodiments, more than one control input is inputted by a userto initiate a start to measurements. For example, one or more differenttype of control input. For example, in some embodiments, both a movementand a contact gesture are detected to initiate a start of measurements,for example, turning the measurement device followed by tapping themeasurement device on a tooth surface. For example, in some embodiments,a user switches the dental measurement device on (e.g. using a userinterface on the dental measurement device and then performs a gestureto start measurements (e.g. tapping a stylus of the measurement deviceon a tooth surface).

In some embodiments, initiation of measurement is automatic or partiallyautomatic. For example in some embodiments (optionally after a user hasinputted a control input instructing a start to measurements) the deviceautomatically starts collecting measurements e.g. when the devicesensor/s recognize a pre-determined situation. For example, when devicesensor/s recognize a sufficient contact between a device stylus and atooth and/or when image processing of images collected by the dentalmeasurement device indicate that the device is in position, with respectto dental object/s, appropriate for measurement of the object/s.

At 402, in some embodiments, dental measurements are collected byscanning of dental feature/s with the dental measurement device (e.g. asdescribed regarding FIG. 3 and/or as described in U.S. Pat. No.9,454,846).

At 404, in some embodiments, information is displayed. In someembodiments, the dental measurement displays an indication of a mode orstatus of the system and/or measurement device, for example, anindication as to whether the dental measurement device is in a modewhere it is collecting and/or capable of collecting measurements, forexample, an indication as to whether the dental measurement device is ina mode where it is used to control and/or add to previously collecteddata (e.g. a “mark model” mode e.g. as described regarding FIGS. 19-20)

In some embodiments, during and/or after collection of measurements,feedback is generated and/or displayed. Where feedback is, for example,regarding whether sufficient measurements have been collected, e.g.sufficient density of measurement e.g. for construction of a dentalprosthetic and/or for alignment of collected data with another dataset(e.g. as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 62/528,475 which isherein incorporated by reference). In some embodiments, feedback to auser is displayed visually by a user interface on the dental measurementdevice.

In some embodiments, feedback is displayed during measurement with thedental measurement device and a user is potentially guided by thefeedback during performance of measurements.

In some embodiments, for example, in addition or alternatively to a usercontrolling movement of the measurement device by directly viewingvisible portions of the mouth and/or dental device, a user controlsmovement of the measurement device by viewing visual feedback displayedon one or more displays and/or audio feedback broadcast by one or morespeaker, and/or haptic feedback. In some embodiments, visual feedback isdisplayed on one or more surface of the dental measurement device. Insome embodiments, audio feedback is broadcast by one or more speakerincorporated into the dental measurement device. In some embodiments,haptic feedback is provided by one or more actuator within the dentalmeasurement device. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments,visual feedback is displayed on an additional display, for example adisplay of a control console (e.g. 204 FIG. 2).

In some embodiments, an orientation of feedback displayed is based on anorientation of a dental object (e.g. a dental object being measured)with respect to the feedback display e.g. as described and/orillustrated regarding FIGS. 8A-D.

In some embodiments, visual feedback includes images collected by thedental measurement device. For example, in some embodiments, displayedimages including portion/s of the patient's mouth and/or of a stylus ofthe measurement device are displayed, potentially assisting a user inpositioning of the dental measurement device and/or stylus e.g. duringmeasurement.

In some embodiments, processed images are displayed to a user, forexample, images augmented with additional information (e.g. feedbackinformation is displayed with collected images e.g. overlaid ontocollected image/s), for example, sized images are displayed (e.g. asdescribed regarding FIGS. 13A-C and/or 14).

In some embodiments, instructions to a user are displayed, for example,on a display (e.g. of the dental measurement device and/or an externaldisplay). Where, for example, in some embodiments, instructions to auser are based on generated feedback. For example, in some embodiments,instructions to a user are generated based on user inputs to the systemand/or collected measurement data. For example, in some embodiments,instruction to a user include safety alert/s.

In some embodiments, feedback and/or instructions to a user includesound produced by one or more speaker located on the dental measurementdevice and/or on a control console (e.g. 229 and/or 222). For example,in some embodiments, the dental measurement device provides an audio cuewhen sufficient data has been collected. Exemplary audio cues includeproducing a tone and/or noise and/or changing an existing audio signale.g. changing a pitch of a repeated sound, changing a frequency ofrepetition of a repeated sound. In some embodiments, audio feedbackincludes one or more feature as described regarding FIG. 23.

At, 406, in some embodiments, for example during collection ofmeasurements with the dental measurement device, an orientation of thedental device changes.

In some embodiments, an orientation of the dental measurement devicechanges with respect to a user line of sight e.g. as illustrated anddescribed with respect to FIG. 3.

In some embodiments, feedback displayed is based on an orientation ofthe dental measurement device with respect to a user, e.g. based onwhich portion/s of the device are visible to the user. In someembodiments, feedback includes image/s collected by the dentalmeasurement device.

In some embodiments, feedback is distorted and/or changed based onvisibility of the display on which the feedback is displayed to theuser. For example, in some embodiments, tilting of the dentalmeasurement device obscures a portion of a display (e.g. obscured by thedevice itself) and, in some embodiments, feedback is then displayed on(e.g. only on) the portion of the display visible to the user.

In some embodiments, an orientation of the dental measurement devicechanges with respect to a dental object being measured e.g. asillustrated and described regarding FIGS. 9A-B.

In some embodiments, an orientation of feedback displayed is based on anorientation of a dental object being measured, for example, in someembodiments, if the dental measurement device changes orientation thefeedback is reoriented with respect to the dental measurement device, tomaintain an orientation with respect to the dental object being measured(e.g. as illustrated and/or described regarding FIGS. 9A-B).

At 408, in some embodiments, a user interface is selected based on anorientation of the dental measurement device. In some embodiments, adental measurement device includes a plurality of user interfaces ondifferent portions of the device. In some embodiments, one or more userinterface on the dental measurement device is activated and/ordeactivated based on an orientation of the dental measurement device. Insome embodiments, a user interface on the dental measurement device(e.g. for display of feedback) is selected (e.g. activated) based on theorientation of the measurement device, with respect to a patient's mouthand/or a line of sight of a user. Where the user interfaces, in someembodiments, include one or more of visual user interface/s (e.g.displays), audio user interface/s (e.g. speaker/s), and haptic userinterface/s.

At 410, in some embodiments, one or more additional device or tool (e.g.a suction tool, e.g. a drill) is controlled (e.g. switched on and/orswitched off). For example, using the dental measurement device. Forexample, by the user inputting, using the dental measurement device, oneor more user control input.

In some embodiments, a user interface on the dental measurement deviceis used to control one or more additional device.

Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, a user performs oneor more gesture using the dental measurement device to control one ormore additional device.

For example, in some embodiments, by performing a contact gesture (wherecontact, in some embodiments, is between the dental measurement deviceand the additional device) and/or movement gesture, e.g. with respect tothe device. For example, in some embodiments, an additional device (e.g.suction device) is activated by a user gesturing towards the additionaldevice (e.g. pointing at the additional device using a stylus of thedental measurement device) and/or contacting the additional device (e.g.with a dental measurement device stylus).

In some embodiments, a gesture includes a detected proximity between theadditional device and the dental measurement device.

For example, the additional device only activating at sufficientproximity to the dental measurement device, for example, the additionaldevice automatically activating at sufficient proximity to the dentalmeasurement device. In an exemplary embodiment, a suction deviceautomatically activates when in sufficient proximity to the dentalmeasurement device (e.g. within 3 cm, or 2 cm, or 1 cm, or 0.5 cm, orlower, or higher, or intermediate distances, of a distal end of thedental measurement device).

In some embodiments, proximity is detected using one or more positionsensor. In some embodiments, proximity is detected by using one or moreoptical sensor, for example, by identifying (e.g. using machine vision)an additional device from images collected using the dental measurementdevice. For example, in some embodiments, when an additional deviceappears in a FOV of camera/s of the dental measurement device, it isidentified (e.g. using image processing). In some embodiments, theadditional device, once identified, is activated e.g. by the systemsending a control signal to the additional device.

In some embodiments, an additional device is activated based oncollected images (e.g. images collected by the dental measurementdevice). For example, in some embodiments, a suction device is activatedwhen excessive fluids are identified from collected images (e.g. usingimage processing).

At 412, in some embodiments, measurements are paused, for example, insome embodiments, a user pauses measurement to evaluate collectedmeasurements e.g. by viewing data collected using one or more userinterface.

In some embodiments, a pause user control input is entered by a userinto a user interface and/or by the user performing one or more gesturewith the dental measurement device. Alternatively or additionally, insome embodiments, the system pauses collection of measurementsautomatically, for example, upon sensed inputs. For example, in someembodiments, if the dental measurement device loses contact and/or ismoved below a threshold proximity with the patient's mouth.

In some embodiments, optionally after other steps are carried out, theuser resumes measurements with the dental measurement device e.g. byentering user control input into a user interface and/or by performing agesture with the dental measurement device. In some embodiments, thesystem automatically resumes measurements once the dental measurementdevice is positioned in a position where the measurements were paused.

At 416, in some embodiments, a model (e.g. a 3D model) of at least aportion of the patent's mouth is generated using collected measurementdata. For example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,454,846.

At 418, in some embodiments, a user views the generated model, on a userinterface. In some embodiments, the user views the model on a dentalmeasurement device user interface, e.g. as part of feedback displayed tothe user. Optionally the model is displayed to the user duringcollection of measurements, where, for example, the model is generatedincrementally as measurement is collected, a partial model beingdisplayed and/or updated.

In some embodiments, the model is displayed on a display not mounted onthe measurement device, e.g. display 124 FIG. 1, 224 FIG. 2.

In some embodiments, a user manipulates display of the model using oneor more dental measurement device user interface e.g. as illustrated byand/or described regarding FIG. 18. In some embodiments, display of themodel is manipulated by a movement (e.g. position and/or orientation inspace) of the dental measurement device. For example, in someembodiments, after and/or during a scan, a user checks the 3D model byviewing the model from more than one angle (e.g. by moving the dentalmeasurement device). For example, to visually determine whethersufficient measurements have been collected (e.g. extent of mouthportion/s measured). For example, to check that there are no missingtooth portions which have not been measured. For example, to check thatthe correct teeth have been scanned.

In some embodiments a user inputs a command at a user interface, forexample, presses a button (e.g. located on the dental measurementdevice) to freeze movement of the 3D model. In some embodiments, a userinputs a command at a user interface to start a mode where movement ofthe dental measurement device controls orientation of the displayed 3Dmodel. For example, by pressing a button on the dental measurementdevice, and, in some embodiments, exiting the mode, by releasing and/orre-pressing the button.

At 420, in some embodiments, information is added to the model using thedental measurement device e.g. as illustrated by and/or describedregarding FIG. 19 and FIG. 20. In some embodiments, the dentalmeasurement device is contacted to one or more portion of a patient'smouth and the position of contact, as aligned with the model, is markedon the model. In some embodiments, a finish line of a prepared tooth ismanually delineated using the dental measurement device, for example,the probe is contacted to and scanned around the finish line.

In some embodiments, a manually delineated finish line is corrected, forexample, by a processor, e.g. based on the manually delineated finishline and additional measurement/s of the tooth, e.g. a 3D modelgenerated from dental measurement device data and/or other data e.g. CT,MRI, ultrasound. In some embodiments, the corrected finish line isdisplayed to a user.

In some embodiments, a user manually alters and/or corrects a finishline using the dental measurement device, e.g. by controlling a cursorlocation using movement and/or orientation and/or position of the dentalmeasurement device to adjust the finish line.

Exemplary User Interface Control According to Some Embodiments

FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram of a dental measurement system,including a dental measurement device, that displays information to auser, according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

In some embodiments, one or more positon sensor 502 and/or one or moreoptical sensor 504 supply data to a processing application 506.

In some embodiments, position sensor/s 502 measure one or more ofspecific force, angular velocity, and magnetic field surrounding thesensor/s. In some embodiments, position sensor/s include one or moreIMU, for example, including one or more gyroscope and/or one or moreaccelerometer, and/or magnetometers. Additionally or alternatively, insome embodiments, position sensor/s 502 include one or moreelectromagnetic position sensor and/or one or more ultrasonic positionsensor.

In some embodiments, the system includes one or more contact sensor 518which detects contact between a dental device and portions of apatient's mouth, for example, detecting contact and/or strength ofcontact between a stylus of a dental device (e.g. stylus 216 FIG. 1,1516 FIGS. 15A-D) and object/s with which the stylus is in contact with(e.g. portion/s of a patient's mouth).

Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the system includesone or more contact sensor 518 which, for example, senses user hold onthe device (e.g. user hold on a device handle e.g. handle 1544 FIG.15A), for example, sensing where a user is contacting the device and/orhow strong the contact between the user and the device is.

In some embodiments optical sensor/s 504 include one or more cameralocated within the dental measurement device. In some embodiments, adevice camera is configured to collect images of dental objects beingmeasured. In some embodiments, a device camera is configured to collectimages of a user, e.g. a user's eye position. In some embodiments,optical sensor/s 504 include one or more dental measurement systemcamera external to the dental measurement device, where position of thedental measurement device and/or dental object/s and/or a patient'smouth and/or a user's body portion/s (e.g. hand/s and/or eye/s) areestimated from collected image/s.

In some embodiments, an orientation of the dental measurement devicewith respect to a dental object is estimated using images including thedental object collected by device camera/s.

In some embodiments, optical sensor/s 504 are configured to collectcolor measurement/s. In some embodiments, optical sensor/s 504 includeone or more camera configured to collect depth measurements. In someembodiments, the camera is configured to collect depth measurements ofregion/s illuminated by when patterned light.

In some embodiments, one or more of sensors 502, 504, 518 are part of a(e.g. hand-held) dental measurement device (e.g. 202 FIG. 2, 1502 FIGS.15A-D).

In some embodiments, processing application 506 is hosted by the dentalmeasurement device. Alternatively or additionally, processingapplication is partially or fully hosted by another device, for example,by a control console (e.g. control console 204 FIG. 2).

In some embodiments, processing application 506 includes an orientationmodule 508 which receives data from one or more of sensors 502, 504,518. In some embodiments, orientation module 508, using received data,estimates an orientation of the dental measurement device, in spaceand/or with respect to one or more other object.

For example, in some embodiments, orientation module 508 estimates anorientation of the dental measurement device with respect to a dentalobject being measured. For example, in some embodiments, orientationmodule 508 estimates an orientation of the dental measurement devicewith respect to a patient's mouth. In some embodiments, the spatiallocation with respect to a user's line of view (where a spatial locationof the user's eye/s is estimated, for example, using image/s collectedan additional camera (e.g. which captures image/s of the user's faceand/or eyes. In some embodiments, a user's line of view is estimatedfrom images collected by one or more imager where a field of view of theimager includes at least a portion of the user e.g. the user's faceand/or eyes. Alternatively or additionally, the estimation is using aposition sensor which is e.g. attached to the user.

In some embodiments, the system includes feedback generation module 510,which for example, receives dental measurement data from opticalsensor/s 502 and analyses the data, for example, providing feedback onwhether data is sufficiently dense (e.g. for a particular process e.g.for constructing a prosthetic) and/or whether there is sufficient datafor alignment of the collected data with an additional dataset. Where,for example, additional dataset/s include previously collected andstored data, for example, in a memory 520 and/or where additional datais received through a connection 522 from an external source (notillustrated). Where exemplary external sources include, for example,other measurement systems (e.g. CT data, x-ray data, MRI data,ultrasound data).

In some embodiments, feedback includes an angle of a dental measurementdevice stylus (e.g. stylus long axis) with respect to a surface of adental object being measured. In some embodiments, a small angle (e.g.less than 40°, or less than 30°, or less than 20°, or less than 10° orless than 5°, or higher or lower or intermediate values or ranges)between the stylus and the dental object surface degrades measurementaccuracy. In some embodiments, feedback includes an indication of ameasured (e.g. measured using collected images and/or position sensors)angle between the dental object and the stylus e.g. when the styluscontacts the dental object. In some embodiments, feedback includes anindication that the stylus is below a threshold angle.

In some embodiments, the system includes a user interface (UI) selectionmodule 512. In some embodiments, the system and/or dental measurementdevice includes more than one user interface and UI selection moduleselects what information is displayed on each user interface. In someembodiments, UI receives information from orientation module 508, andselects a display based on an orientation of the dental measurementdevice.

For example, in an exemplary embodiment, orientation module identifiesthat the dental measurement device is tilted about a long axis of thedevice (e.g. as illustrated in FIG. 3), and UI selection 512 moduleselects a user interface visible to a user which is not obstructed fromthe user's line of view (e.g. by the device). For example, referring toFIG. 15B, in some embodiments, the device is rotated about axis 1554such that lateral size 1550 is above lateral side 1552 and lateral size1550 is obscuring the user's view of lateral side 1552. UI selectionmodule 512, for example, selects user interface 1518 a for display ofinformation to the user, for example, based on known location of userinterface/s and orientation of the device. In some embodiments, UIselection module 512 selects more than one user interface for display ofdata, in some embodiments UI selection module selects different userinterfaces for display of different data.

In some embodiments, the system includes an image processing module 514,for example in some embodiments, images collected by optical sensor/s504 are processed before being displayed on one or more user interface516. For example, in some embodiments (e.g. as illustrated in and/ordescribed regarding FIGS. 13A-14) a user interface displays a collectedimage which has been sized so that the image displayed is of an obscuredview (e.g. view of the mouth and/or stylus).

Exemplary Displayed Information According to Some Embodiments

FIG. 6 is a flow chart for a method of display of information, for adental measurement device, according to some embodiments of thedisclosure.

At 600, in some embodiments, an orientation of a dental measurementdevice is measured.

At 602, in some embodiments information displayed on the dentalmeasurement device, for example, on one or more display, is orientated,based on the measured orientation of the dental measurement device.

In some embodiments, an orientation of a display of the dentalmeasurement device is measured and, in some embodiments, informationdisplayed on the display is oriented based on the measured orientationof the display.

Optionally, in some embodiments, information displayed on and/or by oneor more user interface is based on a measured orientation of the dentalmeasurement device with respect to a user's line of sight, for example,is orientated based on the orientation of the dental measurement device.

Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, informationdisplayed is based on an orientation of the dental measurement devicewith respect to one or more dental object. For example, with respect toa dental object (e.g. tooth) being measured. For example, in someembodiments, an orientation of information displayed on a user interfaceis independent of an orientation of the dental measurement device (e.g.as illustrated and/or described with respect to FIGS. 8A-D and/or FIGS.9A-B).

Exemplary Display of Feedback with Respect to an Orientation of a DentalObject According to Some Embodiments

In some embodiments, feedback is displayed, for example, on a dentalmeasurement device (e.g. 102 FIG. 1, 202 FIG. 2, 1502 FIGS. 15A-D) wherethe feedback is orientated with respect to a dental object beingscanned, for example, a tooth (e.g. prepared tooth).

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method of feedback display, according tosome embodiments of the disclosure.

At 700, in some embodiments, an orientation of a dental measurementdevice with respect to a dental object (e.g. tooth) being measured isestimated.

At 702, in some embodiments, an orientation of displayed feedback iswith respect to the estimated orientation of the dental measurementdevice with respect to the dental object being measured. In someembodiments, an orientation of a display of the dental measurementdevice is measured and, in some embodiments, orientation of thedisplayed feedback is additionally based on the measured orientation ofthe display.

FIGS. 8A-D are simplified schematics of a dental measurement device 802including a feedback display 818 as the dental measurement device isscanned around a dental object 810, according to some embodiments of thedisclosure.

A potential advantage of feedback display 818 being located on dentalmeasurement device 802 is user ability to view the dental measurementdevice and/or patient's mouth and the feedback display in a same regionof space and/or without turning of the user's head. A further potentialadvantage is increased intuitively of spatial feedback when the feedbackis displayed in close proximity (e.g. within 1 cm of) to the dentalobject being measured.

In some embodiments, the dental object is a tooth 810, e.g. a toothprepared to receive a dental prosthetic.

In some embodiments, FIG. 8A shows a start of measurement of dentaldevice 802, FIGS. 8B-D showing the movement of the device around tooth810 in a clockwise direction. In some embodiments, as the dental deviceis moved around tooth 810, data is collected and feedback display 818indicates which areas of the tooth have been measured with respect tothe tooth 810. Where, on FIGS. 8A-D shaded areas of the feedback display818 indicate that measurement has not been collected and unfilled areasindicate that data has been collected, for a portion of the toothcorresponding to the position indicated on the feedback display.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device 802 includes a stylus 816and measurements are collected by contacting the stylus to surfaces ofthe dental object being measured. In some embodiments, FIGS. 8A-Dillustrate measurement of sub-gingival portions of tooth 810 wherestylus 816 is inserted between a surface of tooth 810 and surroundinggingiva. In some embodiments, the stylus is scanned around the tooth(e.g. as illustrated by FIGS. 8A-D) while coronal apical movements aremade with the stylus while in contact with tooth 810.

In some embodiments, feedback display 818 includes lights (e.g. LEDs)where, for example, in some embodiments, each circle of feedback display818 is a light which is, for example, illuminated to indicate thatmeasurement has been collected, e.g. for a corresponding portion oftooth 810. In some embodiments feedback display 818 includes lights withdifferent colors, and/or lights where each light has more than one colorillumination option. In some embodiments, a color of illuminated light/sdisplays information (e.g. to a user). For example, in some embodiments,a first color indicates that sufficient measurement has been collectedfor a region, a second color indicates that measurement has beencollected for a region but that it is insufficient and a third colorindicates that measurement has not been started for a region. Forexample, in some embodiments, red light indicates an area which has notscanned, yellow indicates an area which has been partially scanned andgreen indicates a fully scanned area.

In some embodiments, e.g. for feedback to be displayed, the dentalobject being measured is mapped to the feedback display. For example,where the feedback display does not have the same shape as the dentalobject being measured (e.g. as illustrated in FIGS. 8A-D) and/or thefeedback display does not have as high a resolution as measurements ofand/or generated feedback for the dental device.

In some embodiments, displayed feedback is a display of a 3D model ofthe tooth where the display is updated as the model is generated (e.g.as measurements of tooth 810 are collected). In some embodiments, themodel feedback display 818 is a screen (e.g. LCD display). In someembodiments, display is of images, e.g. collected by the dentalmeasurement device.

In some embodiments, displayed feedback indicates an insufficiency ofmeasurement data, for example, for a region of the dental object beingmeasured. FIG. 8E is a simplified schematic of a dental measurementdevice 802 including a feedback display 818 measuring a dental object810, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 8E shows analternative to FIG. 8D where the scan performed lacks data for a portionof the dental object as indicated by unilluminated light 818 a.

FIGS. 9A-B are a simplified schematic of a dental measurement device 902including a feedback display 918 measuring a dental object 910,according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

In some embodiments, FIGS. 9A-B illustrate display of feedback on dentalmeasurement device 902 based on an orientation of the device withrespect to the dental object 910 being measured. FIGS. 9A-B illustrateorientation of information displayed on feedback display 818 remainingconstant with respect to an orientation of dental object 910 when anorientation of the dental device changes from FIG. 9A to FIG. 9B.

Exemplary Display Selection According to Some Embodiments

FIG. 10 is a flow chart for a method of selecting a user interface, fora dental measurement device, according to some embodiments of thedisclosure.

At 1000, in some embodiments, an orientation of a dental measurementdevice is measured.

At 1002, in some embodiments, a user interface is selected and/oractivated for display of information based on measured orientation ofthe dental measurement device. For example, without using measurement asto a position and/or line of sight of a user, where, for example, insome embodiments, user position is inferred from the orientation of thedental measurement device.

Optionally, in some embodiments, a user's line of sight is estimated,for example, with respect to the dental measurement device and/or dentalobject being measured and visual user interface/s are selected and/oractivated for display of information based on measured orientation ofthe dental measurement device with respect to a user's line of sight. Insome embodiments, a user interface which is most visible to a user isselected.

In some embodiments, an audio and/or haptic user interface is selectedbased on orientation of the dental measurement device with respect to auser. For example, where, in some embodiments, position of a user's handis inferred from an orientation of the device and/or an orientation ofthe device with respect to the user, the position of the user's handthen, in some embodiments, being used to select a haptic user interface.For example, where, in some embodiments, an audio user interface isselected based on an orientation of the dental measurement device withrespect to a user, e.g. based on user ear position e.g. estimated fromcollected image/s.

FIG. 11A is a simplified schematic of a distal portion of a dentalmeasurement device 1102 measuring a dental object 1110, according tosome embodiments of the disclosure.

In some embodiments, a dental measurement device is orientated such thata user interface display 1118 b is at least partially obscured from auser's line of sight 1170.

For example, as described and/or illustrated in FIG. 3, in someembodiments dental measurement device 1102 is tilted such that a topsurface 1128 of a body of the dental measurement device (top surface1128 e.g. opposing a surface from which a stylus protrudes 1116) is atleast partially obscured from user view 1170.

In some embodiments, information (e.g. feedback e.g. images collected bythe dental measurement device cameras) displayed on display 1118 b isdistorted and/or changed based on visibility of the display to the user.For example, in some embodiments, feedback displayed on (e.g. only on) aportion of display 1118 b visible to the user (e.g. an upper portion ofdisplay 1118 b in the orientation illustrated in FIG. 11A).

Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, e.g. as the dentalmeasurement device is moved, partially and/or fully obscured display/s(e.g. display 1118 b in the orientation illustrated in FIG. 11A) aredeactivated and/or an unobscured display/s are activated 1118 a. Where“activation”, in some embodiments, refers to display of information bythe display.

Exemplary Display of Obscured View/s According to Some Embodiments

In some embodiments, one or more of a user's view of; a portion of apatient's mouth being measured, a portion of a dental measurementdevice, a dental measurement device display, is obscured by anobstruction.

In some embodiments, the obstruction is one or more of; a portion of thedental measurement device itself, a portion of the patient's mouth, aportion of a user (e.g. the user's hand), and another dental device(e.g. disposed within the mouth e.g. a suction device).

Returning now to FIG. 11A, in some embodiments, a view of a stylus 1116of dental measurement device 1102 is obstructed by dental object, e.g.the dental object 1110 being measured.

In some embodiments, a portion of a patient's mouth and/or a portion ofa dental measurement device which is obscured from a line of sight of auser (e.g. dentist) is displayed by a display visible to the user.

FIG. 11B is a simplified schematic of a distal portion of a dentalmeasurement device 1102 measuring a dental object 1110, according tosome embodiments of the disclosure.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device 1102 is orientated suchthat the dental measurement device at least partially obscures a dentalobject 1110 being measured from a user's line of sight 1170. In FIG.11B, an area of tooth 1110 obscured from user's line of sight 1170 is atooth area between schematic dashed lines 1120 a and 1120 b.

FIG. 12A is a flow chart of a method of display of an obstructed portionof a patient mouth, according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

At 1200, in some embodiments, an optical image is collected, forexample, by one or more optical sensor (e.g. camera) of a dentalmeasurement device.

Optionally, at 1202, in some embodiments, images undergo imageprocessing. For example, in some embodiments, information is overlaidonto optical image/s. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, a portionof the optical image corresponding to obstructed object/s (e.g.portion/s of the patient's mouth and/or dental measurement device), isidentified.

At 1204, in some embodiments, the collected optical image/s e.g. theidentified portion of the optical image, are displayed, for example, ona display located on the dental measurement device.

FIG. 12B is a flow chart of a method of display of obstructed views ofthe mouth, according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

At 1201, in some embodiments, positions of a user's eye/s, a dentalmeasurement device and a mouth portion being measured are measured. Forexample, using one or more camera and/or position sensor. For example,in some embodiments, positions are estimated using collected images byone or more camera located on the dental measurement device and/or knowndimensions of the dental measurement device.

For example, in some embodiments, images collected by the dentalmeasurement device are used to generate a 3D model of a mouth portion(e.g. including one or more teeth) where the model has a coordinatesystem (e.g. coordinate system 1180 FIG. 11B). In some embodiments,position of the dental measurement device is also known within the 3Dmodel coordinate system, e.g. using known information regarding thedental measurement device camera (e.g. position within the dentalmeasurement device) and/or known dimension/s of the dental measurementdevice. In some embodiments, a user eye location is found in thecoordinate system, for example, using images collected, by additionalcamera/s (optionally part of the dental measurement device). Where, forexample, a co-ordinate system of a first data set (e.g. collected by afirst camera e.g. including images of mouth portions) is aligned with aco-ordinate system of a second data set (e.g. collected by a secondcamera e.g. including images of the user's eyes).

At 1203, in some embodiments, whether the dental measurement deviceobscures mouth portion/s being measured from a user's line of sightand/or what mouth portion/s are obscured is calculated. For example,using on estimated position of user's eye/s and/or position of thedental measurement device and/or position of mouth portions beingmeasured and/or known dimensions of the dental measurement device.

Optionally, at 1205, in some embodiments, display/s on the dentalmeasurement device visible to a user are selected, for example, based onposition and/or orientation of the dental measurement device and/orknown dimensions of the dental measurement device and/or user eyeposition.

At 1207, in some embodiments, image/s including obscured portion/s ofthe patient's mouth are displayed, for example on selected dentalmeasurement device display/s. Alternatively, the images are displayed onan external display (e.g. display 124 FIG. 1, display 224 FIG. 2). Insome embodiments, images are processed before display.

FIG. 13A is a simplified schematic of a dental measurement device 1302displaying an image 1304 of an obscured portion of a patient mouth 1304,according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 13B is a simplified schematic of an image collected by a dentalmeasurement device, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. Insome embodiments, the image is collected by dental measurement device1302 of FIG. 13A.

FIG. 13C is a simplified schematic of an obscured portion of the imageof FIG. 13A, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. In someembodiments, the obscured portion is the portion of the patient mouthobscured by dental measurement device 1302 of FIG. 13A.

In some embodiments, the obscured portion of the image (e.g. illustratedby FIG. 13C) is generated from the collected image (e.g. illustrated byFIG. 13B).

In some embodiments, collected image/s and/or obscured portion/s ofimage/s include at least a portion of a dental measurement device stylus1316. In some embodiments, obscured portion 1304 is displayed on adisplay mounted on dental measurement device 1302.

In some embodiments, collected image/s (e.g. as illustrated by FIG. 13B)are processed (e.g. cropped) so that when the image is displayed ondisplay 1318 the image is aligned with a user's view of unobscuredportion/s of the patient/s mouth 1310 and/or dental measurement device.

For example, referring back to FIG. 11B, known geometry of dentalmeasurement device 1148, position of user's eyes 1170 and position ofdental object 1110 (e.g. in a coordinate system, e.g. as describedregarding step 1201 FIG. 12B) are used to process collected imagesbefore display on display 1118 a, such that the displayed image isaligned with the real tooth image. For example, in some embodiments,obscured point 1121 a is shown on display 1118 a as point 1121 b. Where,e.g. using models of the tooth portion and dental measurement device anduser's eye position within a coordinate system, the point 1121 b isobtained as the intersection between a plane of display 1118 a with aray 1120 c connecting a user eye 1170 tooth point 1121 a.

FIG. 14 is a simplified schematic of a dental measurement device 1402including a display of an obscured mouth portion, according to someembodiments of the disclosure.

In some embodiments, an additional device and/or an object (e.g. portionof a user's hand) 1438 (e.g. a suction tool, a drill) obscures a portionof a patient's mouth being measured. In some embodiments, image/scollected by dental measurement device 1402 (e.g. by camera/s of thedental measurement device) are processed to generate an image of a mouthportion which is obscured from a user's line of sight by the additionaldevice. In some embodiments, processing of image/s is based on positionof the additional device and/or dental measurement device and/or mouthportion 1410 and/or user's eyes within a co-ordinate space. In someembodiments, the image of the obscured mouth portion is displayed on adental measurement device display 1418.

Exemplary Display Based on Spatial Relationship Between User and DentalMeasurement Device According to Some Embodiments

FIG. 21 is a flow chart of a method of display, according to someembodiments of the disclosure.

At 2100, in some embodiments, one or more image is collected of a user.For example, using one or more camera on the dental measurement device.Alternatively or additionally, using one or more camera external to themeasurement device (e.g. on a system display and/or mounted in a dentalclinic room).

At 2102, in some embodiments, a user's position and/or line of sight(for example, of the user's eye/s e.g. 1170 FIG. 11B) 1170 is estimatedfrom image/s collected (e.g. by image processing module 514 FIG. 5).Where the position of the user is, in some embodiments, with respect tothe dental measurement tool. Optionally, additional information is usedin the estimation, for example, measurement from one or more otherdental tool sensor (e.g. orientation information measured by sensor/se.g. position sensor/s 502 FIG. 5). In some embodiments, user facialfeature/s (e.g. eye position) are extracted from collected images toprovide an estimation of user line of sight. For example, using one ormore face detection technique and/or eye gaze direction detectiontechnique. In some embodiments, user position and/or line of sight isestimated without using image/s e.g. using other sensor data.

At 2004, in some embodiments, information is displayed on and/or by thedental measurement tool, based on the identified line of sight and/orposition of the user with respect to the dental tool.

For example, in some embodiments, one or more display is selected e.g.one or more visual display and/or one or more audio display is selectedbased on the line of sight and/or position. For example, in someembodiments, one or more display is adjusted e.g. an orientation ofinformation displayed on visual display/s e.g. one or more audio featureof an audio display e.g. volume e.g. increasing the volume with distanceof the tool from the user.

Exemplary Dental Measurement Device According to Some Embodiments

FIG. 15A is a simplified schematic of an exemplary dental measurementdevice 1502, according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 15B is a simplified schematic of a distal portion 1540 of theexemplary dental measurement device of FIG. 15A, according to someembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 15C is a simplified schematic section of a distal portion 1540 ofan exemplary dental measurement device 1502, according to someembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 15D is a simplified schematic side view of a stylus 1516 of adental measurement device, according to some embodiments, of thedisclosure.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device 1502 is an elongate shapeincluding a distal portion 1540 configured to be inserted into apatient's mouth for measurements and a proximal end 1542. In someembodiments, distal portion 1540 is sized and/or shaped for insertioninto a patient's mouth. Referring to FIG. 15B, in some embodiments, awidth, w2 of dental measurement device 1502, at least at a distalportion of the device is less than 10 mm or less than 5 mm or 1-20 mm,or 1-15 mm, or 2-12 mm, or 3-8 mm or 5-10 mm, about 5 mm, or about 10mm, or lower or higher or intermediate ranges or widths. Where a distalportion of the device is the most distal 0.5-10 cm, or 1-5 cm or loweror higher or intermediate lengths or ranges or the most distal 1-50%, or1-20%, or lower or higher or intermediate ranges or percentages of along axis length of the device.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device includes a stylus 1516.In some embodiments, stylus 1516 extends away from a body of dentalmeasurement device 1502 at an angle. In some embodiments, e.g. asillustrated in FIGS. 15A-B stylus 1516 extends at an angle θ from acentral long axis 1554 of dental measurement device. In someembodiments, θ is about 90°, or 20-150°, or 45-135°, or 80-100° or loweror higher or intermediate ranges or angles.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device 1502 includes one or moreoptical sensor.

Referring now to FIG. 15D, in some embodiments, the dental measurementdevice includes one or more optical element, where, in some embodiments,one or more optical element transfers an optical signal towards opticalsensor/s. In some embodiments, one or more optical element transfersillumination from a light source within the device and/or out of thedental measurement device.

In an exemplary embodiment, the dental measurement device includes afirst mirror 1553 which transfers light towards a camera lens 1551 and asecond mirror 1554 which transfers light emanating from a projector lens1552 out of the dental measurement device. In some embodiments, thedental measurement device is configured to illuminate a mouth portionwith structured light. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the dentalmeasurement device lacks a projector and/or light source and/or a singlemirror is used to transfer light in and out of the dental measurementdevice (e.g. 1553 and 1554 being joined into a single mirror which, insome embodiments, is curved).

In some embodiments, a FOV 1534 of the optical sensor includes at leasta portion of stylus 1516. In some embodiments, a central axis 1556 ofFOV 1534 is at an angle to central long axis 1554 of the dentalmeasurement device where the angle, in some embodiments, is about 90°,or 20-150°, or 45-135°, or 80-100° or lower or higher or intermediateranges or angles.

Referring back not to FIG. 15A, in some embodiments, dental measurementdevice includes a housing which includes an underside 1546, a top side1548, and two lateral sides 1550, 1552. In some embodiments, the topside and the underside are generally opposite each other and, in someembodiments, are parallel to each other. In some embodiments, thelateral sides are generally opposite each and, in some embodiments, areparallel to each other. In some embodiments, cross sections of dentalmeasurement device housing taken perpendicular to a central long axis ofthe housing are generally rectangular.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device includes a differentshape, for example, including one or more cylindrical portion.

In some embodiments, dental measurements are collected at distal end1540 of measurement device 1502. In an exemplary embodiment, opticaldata is collected. In some embodiments, optical data is directlycollected by one or more optical sensor (e.g. camera) located at adistal portion 1540. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments,images are reflected towards a sensor within a body of measurementdevice.

In some embodiments, proximal end 1542 of dental measurement device 1502includes a handle 1544 portion which is grasped by a user duringmeasurement with the device. In some embodiments handle 1544 is sizedand/or shaped to be comfortably grasped by an adult user's hand e.g.referring to FIG. 15A where a width, w1 of the handle is 5-30 mm, or10-20 mm, or lower or higher or intermediate ranges or widths.

In some embodiments, handle 1544 lacks user interface displays. In someembodiments, touch user interface/s (e.g. button, switch, vibrating userinterface) are located on and/or near handle 1544 potentially enablinguse thereof by a user grasping the device handle.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, handle 1544 includes one or moredisplay, located on one or more side of the handle, where, for example,a user opens their hand (e.g. while supporting the device on their palm)to view a display on the handle.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device 1502 includes one or moreconnector 1512 for data and/or electrical power connection.

In some embodiments, dental measurement device 1502 includes one or moreuser interface located on or more side of the device. For example, insome embodiments dental measurement device 1502 includes one or moreuser interface on a lateral side of the device 1518 a, 1518 b, and/orone or more user interface 1518 c, 1518 d located on top side 1548 ofthe device.

In some embodiments, one or more user interface 1518 a, 1518 d, 1518 eare located at distal portion 1540 of the device, for example, todisplay information which assists the dentist in positioning of thedistal portion 1540 and/or stylus 1516 during measurement (e.g. asdescribed regarding and/or illustrated in FIG. 3).

In some embodiments, dental device 2102 includes one or more userinterface, e.g. display screen/s, on underside 1546 of dental device. Insome embodiments, user interface/s on underside 1546 (and/or extendingonto underside 1546) are used when the user holds dental device 1502upside down, for example when measuring an upper jaw of a patient.

In some embodiments, user interfaces 1518 a-e include one or more of aLCD display, a touch and/or flexible screen, a display including one ormore light (e.g. LED, OLED). In some embodiments one or more of userinterfaces 1518 a-e include one or more touch screen, which, in someembodiments, may be controlled by a user wearing gloves.

FIG. 22 is a simplified schematic of an exemplary dental measurementdevice 2202, according to some embodiments of the disclosure. In someembodiments, dental measurement device 2202 includes one or more featureas described and/or illustrated regarding dental measurement device 1502FIG. 15.

In some embodiments, dental device 2202 (e.g. a dental measurementdevice, a dental tool) includes one or more display which extends tocover more than one side of the device e.g. one or more of displays2218, 2219. For example, two sides, or three sides, or all longitudinalsides (e.g. is wrapped around), or all transverse sides, or forms asheath extending along at least a portion of the device.

In some embodiments, dental device 2202 includes one or more flexibledisplay, e.g. one or more a flexible display screen 2218, 2219 e.g.flexible LCD display. In some embodiments, the flexible display ismounted on a non-planar topography of the dental device. For example, insome embodiments, a flexible display is wrapped around a portion of thedental device, e.g. covering more than one side of the device e.g.display 2218 which is mounted on two longitudinal sides of dental device2202 e.g. display 2219 which is extends around a longitudinal portion ofdental device 2202.

For example, in some embodiments, a flexible display is mounted on atleast a portion of the dental device (e.g. of a housing of the dentalmeasurement device) which includes a convex and/or concave portionand/or a protrusion and/or indentation.

In some embodiments, the dental measurement device includes a displayperpendicular (or orientated 30-90°, or 45-90°, or 70-90°, or 80-90°, orabout 90°, or lower or higher or intermediate angles or ranges) to acentral axis of a field of view (FOV) of the imager of the dentalmeasurement device, for example, on a top surface of the dentalmeasurement device. In some embodiments, the dental measurement deviceincludes a display parallel (or orientated 0-60°, or 0-45°, or 0-20°, or0-10° or about 0° or lower or higher or intermediate ranges or angles)to the central axis of the FOV, for example, on a side surface of thedental measurement device.

In some embodiments, housing of the dental measurement device is sizedand/or shaped to enable visibility of stylus 1516 to the user duringcollection of measurements. For example, visibility of styluspotentially enables the user to more accurately position the stylus e.g.inserting and/or moving the stylus between a tooth surface andsurrounding gums without damaging the gums and/or while damaging thegums a minimally.

In some embodiments, a housing of the dental device has an inlet 1562above the stylus, potentially increasing the visibility of stylus 1516,e.g. from the side, e.g. when the dental device is tilted.

In some embodiments, stylus 1516 is attached, by connector 1558, todental measurement device 1502 at a point outside FOV 1534 of opticalsensor/s 1516 potentially reducing obstruction of optical sensor viewsof the patient's mouth, associated with the stylus.

In some embodiments, stylus 1516 includes one or more marker 1560 (e.g.as described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,454,846).

In some embodiments, stylus 1516 includes a rounded tip 1562.

In some embodiments, stylus 1516 is removably attached to the dentalmeasurement device. In some embodiments, stylus 1516 is autoclavable,for example, constructed of stainless steel. In some embodiments, stylus1516 and connector 1558 are one piece which is removably attached to thedental measurement device.

In some embodiments, the dental measurement device includes a displayperpendicular (or orientated 30-90°, or 45-90°, or 70-90°, or 80-90°, orabout 90°, or lower or higher or intermediate angles or ranges) to acentral long axis of a dental measurement device stylus, for example, ona top surface of the dental measurement device. In some embodiments, thedental measurement device includes a display parallel (or orientated0-60°, or 0-45°, or 0-20°, or 0-10° or about 0° or lower or higher orintermediate ranges or angles) to the central long axis of the stylus,for example, on a side surface of the dental measurement device.

Exemplary System Control According to Some Embodiments

In some embodiments, one or more part of a dental measurement system(e.g. a dental measurement device and/or external display and/or controlconsole) is controlled by a user input at the dental measurement device.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart of a method of control of a dental measurementsystem, according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

At 1600, in some embodiments, a control signal is received from a dentalmeasurement device.

In some embodiments, the control signal is produced by a user input at auser interface (e.g. located on the dental measurement device), wherethe user interface is for example, a button, a switch, a touch screen.

In some embodiments, the control signal is received from one or moresensor (e.g. dental measurement device sensor) which, for example,senses a gesture performed by the user and/or other user control input(e.g. a vocal command, e.g. movement and/or change in orientation and/orposition of the dental measurement device).

At 1602, in some embodiments, the control signal is identified by aprocessor.

At 1604, in some embodiments, the processor generates a command signalbased on the identified control signal.

In some embodiments, the command signal controls the dental measurementdevice, for example, initiating a start to collection of measurementswith the device.

In some embodiments, the command signal controls another part of thesystem, for example, an additional device (e.g. in proximity to thedental measurement device) and/or an external display (e.g. display 124,FIG. 1, 224, FIG. 2).

In some embodiments, one or more dental measurement device positionand/or orientation sensor (e.g. within an IMU) provides a control signalwhich controls a display and/or controls the dental measurement systemthrough control of a display.

In some embodiments, the dental measurement system includes a mode wherethe dental measurement device controls aspect/s of the system throughcontrol of a display. For example, in some embodiments, a control signalincludes measurement of dental measurement device orientation and/orposition and/or movement which controls a display, e.g. an externaldisplay (e.g. display 124, FIG. 1, 224, FIG. 2). Where, for example, thedisplay is a user interface, through which a user selects options and/orinputs data, for example, by selecting a region of the display e.g. anoption on a menu (e.g. menu 230 FIG. 2).

For example, in some embodiments, position of a cursor on a display iscontrolled by position and/or movement and/or orientation of the dentalmeasurement device. For example, in some embodiments, a selected regionof a display is controlled by position and/or movement and/ororientation of the dental measurement device. In some embodiments, oneor more user interface on the dental measurement device (e.g. buttonand/or rotation wheel) is used to control the display e.g. the dentalmeasurement device generating a control signal upon pressing of thebutton and/or rotation of the rotation wheel.

In some embodiments, selected option/s control display of information,for example selection and/or deselection of layers of information, e.g.of a 3D model.

In some embodiments, a user selects and/or inputs a tooth number of thetooth or teeth for a planned scan and/or for a completed scan. In someembodiments, the user selects tooth number/s from a graphicalrepresentation of a jaw or jaws.

In some embodiments, a user selects and/or inputs material and/orprocess parameters for producing a dental prosthetic, e.g. where theprosthetic is constructed using a generated 3D model.

In some embodiments, selected option/s control operation of the dentalmeasurement device (e.g. measurements e.g. initiating of measurements)and/or other portion/s of the dental measurement system (e.g. additionaldevice/s).

FIG. 17 is a simplified block diagram of a control infrastructure for adental measurement system, according to some embodiments of thedisclosure.

In some embodiments, the system includes one or more sensor, for examplesensors 1704, 1720, 1702, 1718, 1722. In some embodiments, one or moreof sensors 1704, 1720, 1702, 1718, 1722 are located on a dentalmeasurement device. In some embodiments, one or more of the sensorssense user interaction with the dental measurement device.

In some embodiments, optical sensor/s 1704, include one or more opticalsensor (e.g. one or more camera) within the dental measurement device(e.g. camera 106 FIG. 1, optical sensor 206 FIG. 2).

In some embodiments, sound sensor/s 1720 include one or more microphone,e.g. on and/or within the dental measurement device e.g. 222 FIG. 2.

In some embodiments, position sensor/s 1702 (e.g. located on and/orwithin the dental measurement device) include one or more IMU and/orgyroscope and/or one or more accelerometer. Additionally oralternatively, in some embodiments, position sensor/s 502 include one ormore electromagnetic position sensor and/or one or more ultrasonicposition sensor.

In some embodiments, optical sensor/s act as position sensor/s, forexample, in some embodiments, an image processing module 1726 identifiesposition of the dental measurement device from optical images which, insome embodiments, are collected by the device. For example, byidentifying marker/s (e.g. at known locations) within images. Forexample, by comparing images with previously collected measurement/s(e.g. measurement model/s).

In some embodiments, imaging processing module 1726 identifies positionof the dental measurement device with respect to object/s, for example,marker/s and/or dental object/s and/or a user (e.g. a portion of a user,e.g. a user's face, where the object/s are identified from image/scollected by imager optical sensor/s).

In some embodiments, imaging processing module 1726 identifies user eyeposition, for example, in successive images, to track user eyemovement/s. Where the user's eye position, is identified with respect tothe dental measurement device and/or one or more other object (e.g.dental object e.g. dental tool). For example, to provide a user's lineof sight e.g. with respect to the dental measurement device and/or oneor more other object.

In some embodiments, contact sensor/s 1718 include one or more straingauge mounted on the dental measurement device (e.g. as described inU.S. Pat. No. 9,454,846).

In some embodiments, proximity sensor/s include one or more RFID readerand/or electromagnetic sensor and/or ultrasonic sensor. In someembodiments, the dental measurement device includes a sensor e.g. RFIDreader, electromagnetic sensor. Alternatively or additionally, in someembodiments, the dental measurement device includes a tracked element,for example, a magnet (e.g. an electromagnet) and/or a RFID tag.

In some embodiments, one or more of the sensors sends a signal to aprocessing application 1706. In some embodiments, processing application1706 is hosted by a processer located in the dental measurement device,alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, processingapplication 1706 is hosted externally to the dental measurement device,e.g. at a control console.

In some embodiments, processing application 1706 hosts one or morerecognition module 1724, 1725, 1726, 1728, 1730.

In some embodiments, processing application 1706 includes a voicerecognition module 1724 which is configured to identify vocal commandsfrom a user as sensed by one or more sound sensor 1720. For example, insome embodiments, a user vocally commands a start or stop to collectionof dental measurements with the dental measurement device. In someembodiments, a user vocally commands a change of mode of the device,e.g. from a data collection mode to a model marking mode (e.g. asdescribed regarding FIGS. 19 and/or 20)

In some embodiments, processing application 1706 includes one or morecontact recognition module 1728 which is configured to identify contactbetween the device and other objects using, for example, data receivedfrom one or more contact sensor 1718 and/or one or more RFID readerand/or electromagnetic sensor and/or ultrasonic sensor and/or datareceived from one or more optical sensor 1704 where, in someembodiments, optical sensor/s include camera/s.

For example, in some embodiments, the dental measurement device includesa stylus and contact of the stylus, for example, between the stylus anda portion of a patient's mouth (e.g. a tooth), and may be identifiedfrom sensor signal/s.

In some embodiments, one or more strain gauge located, for example, onthe stylus and/or at a connection between the stylus and the dentalmeasurement device provides a signal to contact recognition module 1728.

Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, contact of thestylus is identified from images collected by optical sensor/s, forexample, by image processing software e.g. within contact recognitionmodule 1728. In some embodiments, contact recognition module identifies,from collected images, contact from a measured deflection of the stylus(deflection e.g. measured by movement of one or more marker on thestylus e.g. markers 1560 FIG. 15D). For example, where contact isidentified at over a threshold deflection. For example, where contactsuitable for collection of dental measurements

In some embodiments, contact is identified (e.g. by image processingsoftware) optically by a “jump” in the image and/or other characteristicchanges to collected images when contact is made (e.g. between thestylus and a patient mouth portion).

In some embodiments, measured deflection of the stylus providesmeasurement of force of contact between the stylus and another object(e.g. a dental object).

In some embodiments, contact recognition module 1728 identifies adesired level of contact (e.g. force of contact, e.g. contact betweenthe stylus and a dental object) for collection of measurement (e.g. ofthe object) using the stylus. For example, in some embodiments, desiredcontact is over a threshold force and/or under a threshold force (e.g.as measured, in some embodiments, by stylus deflection). For example, insome embodiments, desired contact is within a range of measured forces(e.g. as measured, in some embodiments, by stylus deflection).

In some embodiments, upon identifying too high contact force (and/orstylus deflection) or too low contact force (and/or stylus deflection)(e.g. lack of contact), the system displays feedback to the user. Forexample, where, in some embodiment, upon identifying contact recognitionmodule 1728 sends a signal to command generation module 1732 which sendsa signal to one or more user interface 1742. In some embodiments,different feedback is used for low or lack of contact than for too highcontact force. For example, lack of contact being displayed visuallye.g. by a light and too high contact force (and/or stylus deflection)being displayed audibly e.g. by an alarm. In some embodiments,processing application 1706 includes a proximity detection module 1730,configured to identify proximity of the dental measurement device to oneor more additional object. For example, in some embodiments, one or moreproximity sensor 1722 measures a proximity of the dental measurementdevice to another device (e.g. suction device) and, in some embodiments,proximity detection module 1730 sends a signal to command generationmodule, for example, upon the detected proximity being above athreshold.

In some embodiments, proximity between the dental measurement device andanother device is measured using images collected by optical sensor/s1704. Alternatively or additionally, proximity sensor/s e.g. measureproximity.

In some embodiments, proximity detection module 1730 accesses storeddata (e.g. from a database, not illustrated in FIG. 17). In someembodiments, the stored data includes previously collected measurementdata. Where, for example, measured mouth portion/s are associated withother data. For example, in some embodiments, stored data includes aregion and/or point labeled as requiring more measurement and/or asbeing a last measurement point (e.g. where measurement ceased) and/or asbeing an edge to a measurement region. In some embodiments, proximitydetection module 1730 identifies a proximity between a dentalmeasurement device and a labeled mouth portion, e.g. using collectedimages and sends the identified proximity to command generation module1732. In some embodiments, command generation module automaticallycommands a start of measurement, e.g. when a threshold proximity isdetected. For example, the measurement device automatically resumingmeasurements when the device is in close enough proximity to a labeledarea. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, measurement resumes whena user positions the dental measurement device at a region wheremeasurements were paused. In some embodiments, command generation moduledisplays an indication to a user of proximity to a labeled region and/orpoint.

In some embodiments, position sensor/s 1702 send a signal to commandgeneration module, where for example, an orientation of the dentalmeasurement device, optionally with respect to another object (e.g. adental object, e.g. another system component) initiates a systemcommand. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, a particularorientation of a dental measurement device with respect to an additionaldevice activates the device e.g. when the dental measurement device isorientated such that a stylus of the dental measurement device extendstowards the additional device. In some embodiments, an orientation ofone or more display of the dental measurement device is measured.

In some embodiments, processing application 1706 includes a gesturerecognition module 1725 which receives sensor data and/or data fromrecognition module data and, based on the received data, sends differentsignals to command generation module 1732. In some embodiments, gesturerecognition module 1725 is configured to identify command gesturesinitiated by a user from sensor data and/or recognition module data.

In some embodiments, the gesture recognition module is configured toidentify (e.g. from position sensor data and/or optical sensor dataand/or data from one or more additional sensor) one or more movementgesture. Where, in some embodiments, a movement gesture includes movingand/or orientating a measurement device, e.g. with respect to one ormore object e.g. in a pre-determined fashion. In some embodiments, amovement gesture includes moving and/or orientating a stylus of ameasurement device, e.g. with respect to one or more object e.g. in apre-determined fashion. For example, in some embodiments, the stylus isused as a pointer.

In some embodiments, a movement gesture is with respect to anotherobject, for example, a dental object, the oral cavity, an additionaldevice, marking/s. In some embodiments, a movement gesture is withrespect to an additional device (e.g. a mirror or suction tube) where,for example, a gestures include contact with the additional deviceand/or, tapping of the additional device and/or setting a known spatialrelation between the dental measurement device and the additional device(e.g. contacting and/or crossing handles of the dental measurementdevice and the additional device handles).

For example, in some embodiments, moving the dental measurement devicetowards an additional device results in change in function (e.g.activation) of the device. For example, in some embodiments, orientatinga stylus of the device towards an additional device (e.g. pointing atthe additional device with the stylus) results in change in function(e.g. activation) of the device.

In some embodiments, the gesture recognition module is configured toidentify gestures from tracked user face position and/or eye positionand/or movement (e.g. as identified in image/s e.g. by image processingmodule 1726).

For example, in some embodiments, a user selects a display by looking atthe display. For example, in some embodiments, a user selects displayson a region of a device by looking at the displays e.g. looking at aright side of the dental measurement device selects (and/or activates)display/s located on the right side of the device.

For example, in some embodiments, a user looking at a region of thedental measurement device selects and/or activates and/or modifiesfunction of one or more portion of the device.

In some embodiments, facial movement/s and/or expression/s e.g. blinkinge.g. opening and/or closing the user's mouth, are identified from imagesto provide control signal/s, where, in some embodiments, gesturerecognition module identifies gesture/s which are then supplied tocommand generation module 1732.

In some embodiments, a gesture includes a user looking in a particulardirection e.g. with respect to the dental measurement device. Forexample, in some embodiments, measurements with the dental measurementdevice are initiated (and/or the device is turned on and/or off) by theuser looking at particular region/s of the device e.g. the back side ofthe device.

In some embodiments, the gesture recognition module is configured toidentify one or more contact gesture, where for example, contactgestures include contacting a stylus of the measurement device to asurface (e.g. a tooth surface) at above a threshold pressure and/or fora pre-determined amount of time (e.g. tapping the device e.g. contactinglonger than a first threshold length of time and/or shorter than asecond threshold length of time) and/or contacting the surface apre-defined number of times.

In some embodiments, gesture recognition module 1725 performs signalprocessing on a signal received from one or more sensor and/or one ormore recognition module, to identify a gesture.

For example, in some embodiments, a user inputs different controlcommands by contacting a stylus of the measurement device to an objectin different ways, for example, a different numbers of taps of thestylus against an object and/or different pressure and/or duration ofthe stylus in contact with an object being identified by gesturerecognition module 1725 (e.g. using signal processing) as differentgestures.

In an exemplary embodiment, a user taps a tooth surface to initiate astart to collection of dental measurements with the device.

In some embodiments, a gesture includes making a movement with themeasurement device while it is in contact with a surface e.g. tracing aletter and/or shape on a surface, for example, the gesture beingrecognized from inputs received from contact recognition module 1728 andposition sensor/s 1702.

In some embodiments, gesture recognition module 1725 receives input fromone or more sensor and/or one or more recognition module, where, forexample, a user control gesture includes one or more type of input.

For example, in some embodiments, a user controls (e.g. initiates astart to measurement using the dental measurement device) the systemusing both a vocal command (e.g. identified by voice recognition module)and by contacting a stylus of the dental measurement device to ameasurement starting point (e.g. identified by contact recognitionmodule 1728). In some embodiments, command generation module 1732receives a signal from one or more user interface 1742 (e.g. 220, 222,218, 227, 230, FIG. 2).

In some embodiments, command generation module 1732 receives data fromone or more sensor and/or one or more system module and/or one or moreuser interface 1742 and generates system commands based on the receiveddata.

In some embodiments, command generation module 1732 sends controlsignals to optical sensor/s 1704, e.g. camera/s within the dentalmeasurement device, for example, initiating a start and/or stop tocollection of measurements with the device.

In some embodiments, command generation module 1732 sends controlsignals to other system components.

For example, in some embodiments, command generation module 1732 sendscommand/s to one or more light 1736 (e.g. on/off and/or light leveland/or light patterning), where, light/s 1736, for example illuminate aregion of a patient's mouth being measured. In some embodiments, one ormore of lights 1736 are mounted on the dental measurement device. Insome embodiments, lights 1736 are configured to illuminate mouthportion/s with structured light.

For example, in some embodiments, command generation module 1732 sendscontrol command/s to one or more actuator 1740, for example, inembodiments where a stylus of the dental measurement device vibrates, insome embodiments control commands control the vibration.

For example, in some embodiments, command generation module 1732 sendscontrol command/s to one or more additional device 1738 (e.g. suctiondevice, e.g. dental drill), for example, sending the signal wirelesslyand/or through a control console.

In some embodiments, command generation module 1732 sends commands to atooth model generation module 1734, for example, initiating generationof a model based on collected optical data (e.g. as described in U.S.Pat. No. 9,454,846). In some embodiments, tooth model generation module1734 is hosted externally to the dental measurement device, e.g. on acontrol console.

In some embodiments, command generation module 1732 sends controlcommands to a user interface 1742, for example, commands to controlinformation displayed on the user interface.

In some embodiments, command generation module 1732 generates automaticcontrol signals where, for example, the command is not initiated by auser input and/or gesture.

For example, in some embodiments, commands are generated based on senseddata. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, an additional device 1738is activated upon detection of sufficient proximity of the additionaldevice 1738 to the dental measurement device. For example, in someembodiments, a level of illumination provided by lights 1736 isautomatically controlled based on optical measurement data received(e.g. from optical sensor/s 1704) by the command generation module.

In some embodiments, command generation module 1732 initiatessemi-automatic control signals, for example, upon receiving a usercontrol input, a command is sent by command generation module oncesensed data is verified. For example, in some embodiments, a userselects (e.g. through a user interface) a “resume measurement mode” andmeasurements are resumed (e.g. using optical sensors) once the dentalmeasurement device is in a recognized position (e.g. as identified fromcollected images).

It is to be understood that, in some embodiments, the block diagrams ofFIG. 5 and FIG. 17 are combined, where in some embodiments, a dentalmeasurement system includes one or more component illustrated in FIG. 5and one or more component of FIG. 17.

Exemplary Control of Model Display According to Some Embodiments

In some embodiments, the dental measurement device is operated in a modewhere movement of the device controls display of a model of mouthportion/s. In some embodiments, a display of the model reflects adistance and/or orientation of the dental measurement device withrespect to the mouth portions modeled by the model. For example, in someembodiments, as the device is advanced towards a modeled portion of amouth (optionally, while a button is pressed) a display zooms in on thecorresponding portion of the model.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart of a method of control of display of a model,according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

At 1800, in some embodiments, at least a portion of a patient's mouthand a dental measurement device are registered to a coordinate space ofa 3D model of at least a portion of the patient's mouth.

For example, by comparing images collected by the dental measurementdevice with the 3D model to identify corresponding portions of thepatient's mouth as measured (e.g. in real time) by the dentalmeasurement device with portions of the 3D model.

For example, by matching measured location of markers and/or fiducials(e.g. in the patient's mouth) to corresponding markers in the 3D model.

In some embodiments, the 3D model is a model generated from previousmeasurements collected by the dental measurement device. In someembodiments, the 3D model is a model generated from previousmeasurements collected by a different measurement device, e.g. CTimages, MRI images, ultrasound images.

At 1802, in some embodiments, display of the 3D model on a display iscontrolled by a distance and/or orientation of the dental measurementdevice from the patient's mouth. Alternatively or additionally, in someembodiments, the dental measurement device is used to add data to the 3Dmodel.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart of a method of adding data to a model of atleast a portion of a mouth, using a dental measurement device, accordingto some embodiments of the disclosure.

At 1900, in some embodiments, at least a portion of a patient's mouthand a dental measurement device (e.g. 102 FIG. 1, 202 FIG. 2, 1502 FIGS.15A-C) are registered to a coordinate space of a 3D model of at least aportion of the patient's mouth, (e.g. as described regarding step 1800,FIG. 18).

At 1902, in some embodiments, a user selects a “mark model” mode, forexample, through a user interface and/or performing a command gesture(e.g. a contact gesture). For example, in some embodiments, a userstarts a mark model mode by contacting a stylus of the dentalmeasurement device in a particular fashion e.g. tapping the device to atooth surface a pre-determined number of times, e.g. contacting thedevice to a tooth surface at a higher pressure than that used forcollecting measurements. For example, in some embodiments, a user startsa mark model mode by pressing on a button which is, for example, locatedon the dental measurement device e.g. located on a handle of the dentalmeasurement device (e.g. handle 1544 FIG. 15A). Optionally, in someembodiments, starting a mark model mode, includes pressing a button(and/or inputting a command through another user interface) in additionto performing a command gesture before and/or after pressing the button(and/or inputting a command through another user interface).

At 1904, a portion of the dental measurement device (e.g. a stylus) iscontacted to a mouth surface (e.g. a tooth surface) and a position ofthe contact point on the tooth surface (e.g. as measured by the dentalmeasurement device) is marked on the 3D model. In some embodiments, aportion of the dental measurement device is contacted to a mouth surfaceand moved along the surface, and, in some embodiments, the model ismarked with a contour of the contact movement.

In some embodiments, contact is (instead of between a portion of thedental measurement device) between another device and the mouth surface,where the dental measurement device (e.g. an intraoral scanner includingone or more optical sensor) measures the contacted surface of the mouthsurface. For example, in some embodiments, a pointer (e.g. unconnectedto the dental measurement device) is used to mark the tooth model.

At 1906, in some embodiments, marking data is displayed on the toothmodel and/or the marking data is saved in a memory, optionally with themouth model.

FIG. 20 is a simplified schematic of marking of a tooth model, accordingto some embodiments of the disclosure. In some embodiments, a distal end2040 of a dental measurement device is moved such that a stylus 2016contacts a tooth surface and moves in contact with the tooth along atooth surface contour 2090. In some embodiments, dental measurementdevice 2040 collects measurements of the position of a distal end ofstylus 2016 during movement of the stylus along tooth surface contour2090. In some embodiments, a display 2024 displays a tooth model 2026which is a model of a portion of a mouth 2010. In some embodiments, thedisplay displays by overlaying a measured tooth surface contour 2092 ontooth model 2026.

Exemplary Audio Feedback According to Some Embodiments

FIG. 23 is a flow chart of a method of audio display, according to someembodiments of the disclosure.

At 2300, in some embodiments, one or more input signal is received e.g.from a dental measurement device. For example, measurements from one ormore sensor and/or one or more user input signal. For example, one ormore input signal as described regarding step 1600, FIG. 16.

At 2302, in some embodiments, the input signal/s are processed, forexample, by a processing application e.g. 506 FIG. 5. In someembodiments, input signal/s include measurements of a dental devicestylus. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of; a size of ameasurement device movement (e.g. of stylus movement), a rate ofmovement (e.g. of stylus movement), force of contact of the stylus (e.g.with another surface), texture of a surface over which the stylus ismoved (e.g. tooth surface) whilst being in contact are identified frominput signal/s.

At 2304, in some embodiments, based on processed input signal/s, audiofeedback signal/s are generated. In some embodiments, audio feedbacksignals are broadcast to a user by one or more dental measurement deviceuser interface, e.g. one or more speaker e.g. which is part of thedental measurement device.

In an exemplary embodiment, one or more parameter of an audio signal,for example, pitch and/or volume level, are adjusted, based on measuredinputs from the stylus. In some embodiments, audio parameter/s arecontrolled by movement of the stylus, for example in response to largeand/or high force movements of the stylus, in some embodiments, highpitch and/or volume audio signal/s are broadcast to a user.

In some embodiments, audio signals are generated and/or adjusted basedon the different identified surfaces. In some embodiments, an audiofeedback signal is selected and/or an existing signal is adjusted (e.g.volume and/or pitch and/or frequency of a repeated signal and/or melody)to indicate the region of the tooth that the stylus is in contact with.

In some embodiments, audio feedback signal/s are generated directly fromstylus measurements. For example, in some embodiments, movement of amagnet coupled to the stylus and configured to move with the stylus ismeasured, the measurement being used to generate an audio signal e.g.the stylus operating as a patephone needle.

For example, in some embodiments, one or more magnet is connected to thedental measurement device stylus, movement of the stylus moving themagnet/s with respect to a stationary coil of the dental measurementdevice. Where, in some embodiments, the magnet and stylus move withrespect to the stationary coil. In some embodiments, current generatedat the coil by movement of the magnet provides a measurement signalregarding stylus movement. In some embodiments, this measurement signalis an input to an audio user interface. In some embodiments, themeasurement signal is processed to generate an audio signal which, insome embodiments is broadcast to a user. Alternatively or additionally,in some embodiments, a coil connected to the stylus moves with respectto a stationary magnet of the dental measurement device to providestylus movement measurements.

General

It is expected that during the life of a patent maturing from thisapplication many relevant dental measurement technologies will bedeveloped and the scope of the term dental measurement device isintended to include all such new technologies a priori.

As used herein:

-   -   the term “about” refers to +/−20%;    -   the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, “including”,        “having” and their conjugates mean “including but not limited        to”;    -   the term “consisting of” means “including and limited to”; and    -   the term “consisting essentially of” means that the composition,        method or structure may include additional ingredients, steps        and/or parts, but only if the additional ingredients, steps        and/or parts do not materially alter the basic and novel        characteristics of the claimed composition, method or structure.

As used herein, the singular form “a”, “an” and “the” include pluralreferences unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example,the term “a compound” or “at least one compound” may include a pluralityof compounds, including mixtures thereof.

Throughout this application, various embodiments of this disclosure maybe presented in a range format. It should be understood that thedescription in range format is merely for convenience and brevity andshould not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of thedisclosure. Accordingly, the description of a range should be consideredto have specifically disclosed all the possible subranges as well asindividual numerical values within that range. For example, descriptionof a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specificallydisclosed subranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6 etc., as well as individual numberswithin that range, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This appliesregardless of the breadth of the range.

Whenever a numerical range is indicated herein, it is meant to includeany cited numeral (fractional or integral) within the indicated range.The phrases “ranging/ranges between” a first indicate number and asecond indicate number and “ranging/ranges from” a first indicate number“to” a second indicate number are used herein interchangeably and aremeant to include the first and second indicated numbers and all thefractional and integral numerals therebetween.

As used herein the term “method” refers to manners, means, techniquesand procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limitedto, those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, orreadily developed from known manners, means, techniques and proceduresby practitioners of the chemical, pharmacological, biological,biochemical and medical arts.

As used herein, the term “treating” includes abrogating, substantiallyinhibiting, slowing or reversing the progression of a condition,substantially ameliorating clinical or aesthetical symptoms of acondition or substantially preventing the appearance of clinical oraesthetical symptoms of a condition.

It is appreciated that certain features of the disclosure, which are,for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may alsobe provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, variousfeatures of the disclosure, which are, for brevity, described in thecontext of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or inany suitable sub-combination or as suitable in any other describedembodiment of the disclosure. Certain features described in the contextof various embodiments are not to be considered essential features ofthose embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without thoseelements.

Although the disclosure has been described in conjunction with specificembodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modificationsand variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.Additionally, some embodiments of the present disclosure may bedistinguishable from one and/or another teachings of the prior art byspecifically lacking one and/or another feature/functionality—and thusclaims directed to such embodiments include one and/or another negativelimitations. Accordingly, the disclosure it is intended to embrace allalternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within the spiritand broad scope of claims that are supported by the current disclosure.

All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in thisspecification are herein incorporated in their entirety by referenceinto the specification, to the same extent as if each individualpublication, patent or patent application was specifically andindividually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. Inaddition, citation or identification of any reference in thisapplication shall not be construed as an admission that such referenceis available as prior art to the present disclosure. To the extent thatsection headings are used, they should not be construed as necessarilylimiting.

1. A dental measurement method comprising: measuring an orientation of adental measurement device includes a user interface; and displayinginformation on said user interface based on said orientation. 2-53.(canceled)